Victoria’s $2.7b cash splash: Neil Mitchell grills Jacinta Allen

Thousands of Victorians will get back into work through a $2.7 billion state government stimulus package outlined today, which includes a blitz on road and rail maintenance.

More than $300 million of the overall package will go to transport projects.

Neil Mitchell grilled COVID-19 cabinet MP Jacinta Allen on whether the cash splash is just an early budget announcement given the state budget was delayed until October.

Click PLAY to hear the interview

Click PLAY to hear Neil’s reaction (prompted by a frustrated listener)

Among those projects will be resurfacing roads, strengthening bridges, improving roads in bushfire-affected areas, regional rail maintenance, enhanced maintenance of trams and V/line trains, upgrading 15 train stations and even graffiti removal.

The transport package roams across government, bringing forward projects that would have been done over years to be done immediately, requiring less planning than a big new infrastructure project and creating jobs all over the state.

Meanwhile, 160 social housing units will be built, and another 23,000 will be repaired or renovated.

Companies that need new workers to take part must hire them through the government’s job-matching service for people laid off because of COVID-19.

There will also be $1.18b spend on education. Ten new schools will be built and 57 will be upgraded. The government will also buy 250 relocatable buildings.

There will also be extra money to support people escaping family violence.