The Andrews Labor Government is boosting accommodation for workers in Mildura, with the Mildura Palms Seasonal Worker Facility set to give hundreds of workers more housing choice and create more local jobs.
Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing today visited the Mildura Palms Caravan Park to tour works underway on the 40 new cabins that will be home to up to 320 seasonal workers, backed by a $1 million investment through the Seasonal Workforce Accommodation Program.
With 11 cabins already complete by construction company Atane, the project will create up to 20 full-time jobs during construction and six workers are expected to be employed at Mildura Palms in management and maintenance roles once complete.
The cabins feature a kitchenette and ensuite and access to cooking, dining and laundry facilities, plus an upgraded swimming pool. Workers will also be supported with transport to and from their workplace in the Mildura area, with 20 vans to be used for the commute.
Sustained jobs growth has pushed Victoria’s regional unemployment rate to a new record low of 2.8 per cent, bolstering local communities and providing confidence across the state. More than 1,100 new jobs were created in regional Victoria last month, bumping the total number of people working in the regions to 856,000 – also a record high.
The Government has made a record investment of more than $41 billion in rural and regional Victoria since 2015, transforming and boosting local economics and generating jobs growth.
The new $1 billion Regional Housing Fund will deliver more than 1,300 homes across regional Victoria increasing the supply of housing.
To provide even more new housing options for regional communities, the new $150 million Regional Worker Accommodation Fund will support regions where key workers are struggling to find affordable places to live.
These investments are in addition to the $48 million from the Big Housing Build to build more homes across Mildura, with 26 new homes complete and 73 new homes under construction as part of the initiative.
For more information, go to rdv.vic.gov.au
As stated by Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing
“The Mildura Palms Seasonal Worker Facility will be transformative for Mildura with up to 320 additional seasonal workers having a place to stay – this will create important housing opportunities in high demand areas, and also take pressure off the local rental market.”
