Some budget highlights important for Yarrawonga and district

09 May 2018 Yarrawonga Chronicle, Yarrawonga VIC (General News) Silo art study along the Murray As part of this years Victorian State budget $300,000 has been allocated for a Silo Art Study to develop an arts trail, which will extend along the length of the Murray River. The funding is part of the governments $760 million Regional Partnerships initiative which aims to deliver on the key priorities of Victorias nine Regional Partnerships. This provides a perfect opportunity for Yarrawonga to join Tungamah, Devenish and Goorambat for a more localised silo art trail. 30 priority TAFE courses will be provided for free including automotive, plumbing, engineering, agriculture and mental health certicates from January 1, 2019. Changes will also come into effect next year reducing the pay roll tax rate to 2.425 per cent for regional businesses who pay at least 85 per cent of their payroll to regional employees. A $941 million road maintenance blitz described by Northern Victoria MLC Jaclyn Symes as the biggest ever seen in Victoria with $56.6 million in it for the North East. An additional $100 million available to country councils, to put up their regional road repair projects on a merit basis The Murray River Adventure Trail will receive $500,000 to develop a business case to create a multi-sport adventure trail that extends along the length of the Murray River. Double the stamp duty-free threshold for young farmers from $300,000 to 600,000 meaning farmers aged under 35 and buying their rst farm property will receive a full stamp duty exemption on purchases up to $600,000, bringing it into line with the rst home buyers exemption threshold from July 1, 2018. A further $22.2 million will be spent on extra regional bus services and infrastructure $2 million will be provided to help Regional Tourism Boards and Councils grow their local economies and local jobs by attracting new visitors and new events. The Victorian Cross Border Commission will be established with $760,000 $60 million for the Community Sports Infrastructure Fund $8 million for Victorias contribution to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.