Tracking progress on 2022 election commitments

FROM the region’s first Medicare Urgent Care Clinic to much-needed sporting infrastructure upgrades, incumbent MPs Richard Marles and Libby Coker – who represent the electorates of Corio and Corangamite respectively – made 15 promises impacting residents across Geelong ahead of the 2022 federal election.

With the community to return to the polls on May 3, the Geelong Times takes a look at the progress made on each of these local funding commitments.

The biggest cash splash of the ALP’s 2022 re-election campaign was on the Barwon Heads Road upgrade, with $125 million in funding committed to help deliver stage two of the project.

That funding was increased last month by a further $68.2 million, after the State Government, which was also to contribute $125 million to the project, announced a reduction in the scope of works, throwing completion of the originally promised six-kilometre road extension in doubt.

With the additional funding in place, works on the full project are now expected to begin in late 2025, with completion estimated in 2028.

Almost $16 million was committed to the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative to assist the organisation with a proposed $50 million redevelopment of its facilities in Morgan Street, North Geelong. Work on the project is progressing, with the City of Greater Geelong last year approving the sale of a city-owned plot of land adjacent to Wathaurong’s existing site to make way for the expansion.

Health and wellbeing

The region’s first Medicare Urgent Care Clinic was established in Belmont last year and now sees about 300 people a week, while a $5.445 million grant was awarded to RSL Victoria last February to launch a new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in Geelong.

Once operational, the hub will also have satellite locations in Torquay and Queenscliff.

Kardinia Health has also expanded to include a specialist centre for endometriosis and pelvic pain, following a $700,000 federal funding commitment over four years to enable the healthcare provider to hire and train new staff and invest in more equipment.

In Armstrong Creek, a federally funded headspace centre providing free mental health services to young people aged 12 to 25 opened in December last year, while a $2.95 million boost has helped Anam Cara House formalise its volunteer program, train staff and secure its power supply.

Sports facilities

Upgrades to the cricket facilities at Newcomb’s Grinter Reserve, supported by $600,000 in federal funding, and at Belmont’s South Barwon Reserve, backed by $1.6 million, both wrapped up last year.

Meanwhile, works are now ramping up on the highly-anticipated Armstrong Creek Sports Stadium, to which the federal government will contribute $6 million.

School upgrades

Equipment upgrades for local schools were a strong focus for both Mr Marles and Ms Coker in the lead-up to the 2022 poll, with Grovedale College ($50,000), Mirripoa Primary School ($40,000), Whittington Primary School ($29,000), Oberon Primary School ($35,000) and Newcomb Primary School ($40,000) among the recipients.

It is understood that work on each of these projects has either been completed or is progressing.