General News
20 October, 2022
Election promise for Talbot
An elected Liberal-National Government will reinstate the Small Towns Water and Sewerage Fund, with Talbot on top of the list to secure sewerage for residents. Victorian leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh and Member for Ripon Louise Staley visited...
An elected Liberal-National Government will reinstate the Small Towns Water and Sewerage Fund, with Talbot on top of the list to secure sewerage for residents.
Victorian leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh and Member for Ripon Louise Staley visited Talbot yesterday to announce the return of the fund, which would be rolled out to Talbot residents depending on November’s election outcome.
The fund would see a $5000 payment made by residents (payable over 10 years, interest free) and a dollar-for-dollar contribution from both the government and water authority to connect properties to the new system, which according to Mr Walsh, would be rolled out in the Coalition’s first budget.
Speaking on Thursday, Ms Staley said sewering Talbot was the number one project residents wanted to see completed.
“This is the number one project for Talbot that’s been advocated to me for many years and I’m so delighted to be able to deliver it if we come to government, it will be a game changer for Talbot,” she said.
“This is genuinely transformative for this community and I am so excited to be able to announce this.”
The announcement was welcomed by Talbot resident and long-time advocate for sewerage Reiny Gunther, who said sewerage was the barrier to growing the Talbot community
“Our biggest problem is we can’t grow, it’s as simple as that and this announcement is absolutely brilliant,” he said.
“The impact this will have will be enormous, it will double the town — that’s what’s happened in Carisbrook, Avoca and Clunes so wherever sewerage goes, towns grow.”
Mayor and Talbot resident Chris Meddows-Taylor said sewerage would unlock land for infill developments and attract new residents to the shire.
“This is a fantastic announcement that gives Talbot a future that we currently don’t have and the shire an opportunity for growth,” he said.
The Talbot Futures project, developing a fully costed and updated sewerage scheme design, is already underway and was jointly funded by the Andrews Labor Government and council last year.