The budget contained little in the way of new funding for the region, but Shepparton has received significant investment in health, rail and education in previous budgets.
Committee for Greater Shepparton chief executive Sam Birrell acknowledged the significant funding the region had received in the past three years.
This has included a $168.5million investment for the redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health, $313million to upgrade the Shepparton train line, and money for the Shepparton Education Plan.
With funding received for stage one of the Goulburn Valley Health redevelopment and federal funding for the Shepparton bypass, the committee acknowledged the 2020-21 state budget would be critical to ensuring the continuation of these infrastructure projects.
‘‘The 2019-2020 budget is light on for specific Greater Shepparton initiatives. However, there are still works to be carried out with previous years’ state government funding,’’ Mr Birrell said.
‘‘A number of key projects in Greater Shepparton are going to need additional funding next year — 2020-21 will be a critical budget for our region.’’
Mr Birrell said the committee was pleased that Regional Development Victoria would continue to be funded for another year, alongside regional leadership programs such as Fairley Leadership.
The committee also welcomed further regional concessions for payroll tax, believing this measure would support regional businesses and encourage regional investment.
Mr Birrell acknowledged the three-year-old kinder for every Victorian child and a free dental service for all state primary and secondary students as positive outcomes for Greater Shepparton.
State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed agreed with these measures, welcoming the news of part-time kindergarten and free dental for public school students.
‘‘I have been a passionate campaigner for education and children’s health and at first glance, both these programs should be of benefit to parents, carers and young children in my electorate,’’ she said.
Ms Sheed said she was pleased with the payroll tax concessions for regional areas and a basketball hub for Shepparton, but she was disappointed the city missed out on sharing in $214million to establish seven early parenting centres across the state.
Following decades of community advocacy for a mother-baby unit, she argued that Shepparton was no less in need than the other regional hubs.
‘‘I am disappointed we will not be included in this important initiative — I will continue to urge the Andrews Government to view the needs of Shepparton’s mothers and newborns as vitally as it has viewed those in Ballart, Bendigo and Geelong,’’ she said.
State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell slammed the budget for failing to include new funding for vital Shepparton projects.
Ms Lovell pointed towards a lack of funding towards stage one of the Shepparton bypass project, for which $208million was allocated in the federal budget.
‘‘Today’s budget also confirmed a delay in delivery of the business case and early works for this project, which were funded two years ago,’’ she said.
Ms Lovell said the budget showed work to upgrade Shepparton passenger rail services would be delayed by six months.
She also criticised the lack of more investment in Shepparton’s new super school, saying only $20.5million had been committed for a project expected to cost about $120million.
Ms Lovell also pointed to the need to fund stage two of the Goulburn Valley Health redevelopment.