I read with great pleasure in the budget papers that $12 million has been allocated by this state government to build a safe harbour at Portarlington. This was an election commitment made by then Labor opposition, and I commend the work undertaken by Minister Neville in securing and delivering on such an important election commitment. The Portarlington safe harbour project has been a hot issue on the Bellarine Peninsula for some time now, and I am constantly being asked about the much-needed infrastructure investment.
With a pre-budget announcement being made on this funding, many of my constituents have contacted my office seeking information about the time frame for the project.
I ask the minister to inform me about the time line of this project and when it is projected to be completed, as well as the benefits to the community, including the number of local jobs that will be created from this state government investment.