TROY BELL MP
Member for Mount Gambier
Your Independent voice
in State Parliament
Exciting times ahead in 2024
Thursday January 25, 2024THE next two years will be looking positive across the Mount Gambier/Berrin region with about $100 million worth of infrastructure beginning to get off the ground.
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell is looking forward to seeing the multi-million dollar investment from the state government to begin this year including the upgrades to the Mount Gambier and District Hospital and the technical college.
Mr Bell said it was going to be a very exciting next two years with lots of promises and money being budgeted.
"Those projects are in full development this year and next year," Mr Bell said.
"These are major investments including the hospital, mental health beds and the emergency department upgrade where the designs have been released.
"Now the challenge is that I have to make sure local builders secure the majority of that work."
He said the technical college and upgrades to Yahl Primary School were also exciting projects coming to fruition.
"It is extremely exciting the telecommunications towers which are planned to be completed within two years, and over the next 12 to 24 months we are going to see nearly $100m of development which is state government funded."
Mr Bell said he had never seen a bigger injection of funds into the region. He acknowledged it had taken time to get the designs and costing, and to go out to tender.
"Over the next two years we are really going to see major developments really take shape," he said.
"I think the next two years are going to be extremely exciting for our community and there will be a lot of work coming out of it.
"After that, we are focusing on what is next and 2026 is the next state election and I want to have another list of priorities that I take to both the Liberal and Labor parties and get commitments out of them to fund and keep our region really top of mind for the state government."
Moving forward, Mr Bell said he was going to focus on road infrastructure and increasing the patient assistance transfer scheme to cover accommodation.
Member for Mackillop Nick McBride said he was also looking forward to the coming years with a multitude of infrastructure upgrades across the region.
"In 2024 we are looking forward to the beginning of the mobile towers coming on board," Mr McBride said.
"We are looking forward to working with the Limestone Coast Local Health Network and the health advisory boards into what is going to work with the health precincts.
"It is going to be interesting and obviously we will be looking at all other elements like childcare, housing and educational options and opportunities that we can roll out as many as possible and perhaps some major sporting developments as well."
He said he believed the Naracoorte Hospital and Community Health Service assessment would also be an exciting opportunity for future election commitments.
"The health network is going to be building and creating that, and there is no doubt it will set the agenda for a lot of material about what we could potentially have in the region for health services," Mr McBride said.