By Alesha Capone
TARNEIT MP Tim Pallas has called on the State Government to create a new justice precinct in Wyndham, along with a long-awaited employment precinct.
In parliament last month, Mr Pallas described Wyndham as “Australia’s fastest growing local government area” and said almost 60 per cent of residents left the area to go to work every day.
Almost a third of these residents cross the West Gate Bridge to work in Melbourne’s CBD.
“Such a lack of localised employment places pressure on our transport network and road infrastructure,” Mr Pallas said.
“As Wyndham and Melbourne’s western suburbs continue to grow at unprecedented rates these problems will only become more pronounced.”
Mr Pallas asked the government “to consider the decentralisation of government services and investment in local infrastructure that will attract employment to the area, such as the Werribee employment precinct”.
The previous Labor State Government earmarked 925 hectares of land in Werribee, to become the employment precinct as part of its ‘Melbourne @5 Million’ strategy.
It has been estimated up to 60,000 jobs would be created across three decades at the precinct.
Organisations already located within the area include CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, the Dairy Innovation Centre, Agrifood Technology, Victoria University Veterinary Clinic and Werribee Mercy Hospital.
In addition, Mr Pallas said Wyndham was “also in great need of a justice precinct, which in addition to providing jobs locally would address capacity issues at the current Werribee courthouse and the broader justice needs of the growing community of Wyndham”.
In June, Star reported Wyndam City Council John Menegazzo said he hoped a new police station, courtrooms and emergency services hub would be constructed in the area.
“I think the current police station (in Werribee) needs an overhaul, it certainly looks fairly dated,” Councillor Menegazzo said.
