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Supporting Aboriginal Communities Through Coronavirus

The Victorian Government is supporting Aboriginal organisations to lead local responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Gabrielle Williams today announced more than $500,000 in grants under the first round of the $10 million Aboriginal Community Response and Recovery Fund. The Fund –..

Commerce Ballarat receives vital recovery funding

Commerce Ballarat members, and the broader Ballarat business community, will benefit from $50,000 awarded through the Victorian Government’s Grants for Business Chambers and Trader Groups program. Commerce Ballarat provides critical advice, connections and resources to Ballarat businesses and this grant will be crucial in helping..

New Early Parenting Centre for Ballarat

A partnership between Ballarat Health Services and the Queen Elizabeth Centre will deliver more parenting supports for new parents and their young children giving them the best possible start to life, with the establishment of an Early Parenting Centre in Ballarat by 2022. The Victorian..

Bringing more clean energy to Ballarat

The Victorian Government is helping more Ballarat businesses use renewable energy technologies to reduce electricity costs, create local jobs and support clean power. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio, Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced..

New Careers And Pathways For Regional Students

The Victorian Government is boosting access to mentoring, role models and information about post-school options for regional and rural students through a range of new programs. Minister for Education James Merlino today announced a $2.5 million investment to help raise rural and regional students’ understanding..

Skills for Victoria’s thriving mining industry

The TAFE and training sector is giving Victorians the skills they need to take up jobs in the booming mining industry. Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney today visited Ballarat Goldmine, part of an industry which enjoyed a 41 per cent..

Securing Ballarat’s manufacturing future

Alstom workers have started their first shifts on the VLocity train maintenance program under a job-saving deal supported by the Victorian Government to retain highly skilled transport manufacturing jobs in Ballarat. Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll today welcomed workers from Alstom’s permanent manufacturing staff,..

Agribusinesses Supported To Adapt To Pandemic Conditions

More than 100 food businesses, farmers and suppliers across Victoria are keeping workers safe and supply chains going thanks to support from the Victorian Government, helping workplaces adapt to physical distancing and hygiene measures. Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaclyn Symes today visited Springhill..

Ballarat’s Bigger Hearts Dementia Alliance digital inclusion project

Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Wendouree today announced a $20,000 grant for the Digital Inclusion Social Connection (DI-SC) Project, helping people living with dementia and their carers address social isolation through digital technology. With the closure of many formal and informal meeting..

Survival grants for Ballarat‘s live music industry

Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison announced survival grants for five local live music venues and new initiatives to protect music jobs on stage and behind the scenes. These grants and initiatives will help local music venues, businesses, musicians and other..

Boosting women’s facilities at Mars Stadium

Ballarat may soon be home to elite AFLW games, with work to begin shortly to redevelop competition-level female friendly change facilities at Mars Stadium. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle joined City of Ballarat Councillor Samantha McIntosh today to announce..

Ballarat hospitality is open for business

Ballarat and other regional communities across the state took the third step along the roadmap to COVID Normal today. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle joined with CEO of Committee for Ballarat, Michael Poulton to enjoy the offerings at Ballarat..

Preventing Youth Crime Through Sport

The Victorian Government is using the power of community sport to connect with disengaged young people across the state with an early intervention program led by Football Victoria. Parliamentary Secretary for Crime Prevention Frank McGuire today announced $150,000 in funding for the Empowering Lives through..

School breakfast clubs expansion helps Ballarat students to thrive

The Victorian Government is making sure students living in Wendouree have the support they need to thrive at school, by investing in providing healthy breakfasts, lunch and school holiday supplies to children who need them. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison virtually met with leaders at..

Safety boost for White Flat Recreation Reserve

Safety and landscape upgrades have revitalised Ballarat’s popular White Flat Recreation Reserve thanks to a grant of almost $188,000 from the Victorian Government’s Public Safety Infrastructure Fund. Five new CCTV cameras have been installed to improve surveillance across sporting facilities, clubrooms and public restrooms. The..

Agile Manufacturers Create New Ventilator Industry

Victoria’s world-leading manufacturers have created a ventilator production industry from scratch with Ballarat’s Gekko Systems to start making the country’s first Australian-designed machines within weeks. Gekko has made its name as a manufacturer of mining equipment since its establishment by Sandy Gray and Elizabeth Lewis-Gray..

Building a safer future based on Ballarat’s past

Upgrades to Ballarat’s Sturt Street are revisiting the city’s past to build a safer future on one of its busiest roads. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said as part of upgrades currently under way at the intersection of Sturt and Talbot streets, construction crews have..