City of Greater Bendigo and Be.Bendigo congratulate local politicians on re-election

"The upside of Labor being re-elected is there's continuity, given they've been in government for eight years," Be.Bendigo chief executive Rob Herbert said.

"At least they don't have to take a period of time to be brought up to speed with regards to various initiatives."

Prior to the state election, the Labor party committed $21 million for the Bendigo Art Gallery and $6 million for the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct (BREP) in Marong.

Mr Herbert said the funding for power, water and road infrastructure at the BREP was a "really good start".

"While there's going to be a lot more funding and investment required for that precinct, it's a welcome piece of news for what is really tightly held and limited industrial land available around Bendigo at the moment," he said.

Bendigo East MP Jacinta Allan will serve this term as the minister for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which will see athletes from around the world and fans of various sports descend on Bendigo.

Mr Herbert said while it was early days, the business community should make the most of whatever opportunities present themselves for the Games.

"People need to understand it won't just be around the venues," he said.

"There'll be a whole host of other activities around Greater Bendigo and more broadly which businesses will have a chance to participate in, whether it's hospitality or some of those other businesses.

"There'll be a lot of broader opportunities other than what's just happening in those venues. It will be very much about attracting different groups in the lead up to the games, the participation during the games and the legacy thereafter."

City of Greater Bendigo mayor and chair of Regional Cities Victoria Andrea Metcalf said the re-election of the state government would enable policy continuity for the regions at a time of great growth and development.

She said the city looked forward to continuing to work with both Ms Allan and Ms Edwards.

"The Labor Party's election commitments, particularly for the Bendigo Art Gallery and Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct, are welcome and will ensure this work can continue as planned," Cr Metcalf said.

"We are at an important design phase with BREP, so these funds will be used to outline where key infrastructure will go like roads and utilities, and will ultimately help to deliver the project sooner."

Ms Metcalf said with funding from the state government secure, attention now turned to advocating the federal government.

"Knowing we now have a $21 million contribution from the Victorian government, means we are looking for $10 million from the federal government," she said.

She shared Mr Herbert's views on how continuity could help with major projects, including planning for the Commonwealth Games.

"Engagement is currently underway to inform the design of the athletes' village and we look forward to remaining involved in discussions for this and other infrastructure that will be needed to deliver a successful event," Cr Metcalf said.

Another pledge from the Labor party was to bring regional V/Line fares in line with metro prices.

While details of when the commitment will kick in are not yet clear, the cost of a daily ticket on the regional network is expected to be capped at $9.20 for a full fare or $4.60 for a concession.

Cr Metcalf said the price cap could have benefits for Bendigo's tourism industry.

"Regarding the V/Line commitment of cheaper fares, this is great news for regional commuters and also makes Greater Bendigo more accessible for people in Melbourne to come and visit," she said.

"We know tourism is vital to regional economies, so with the money saved on a fare, hopefully it encourages more people to stay longer and spend more in regional areas."

The state government also committed just over $13 million to upgrade Huntly Primary School and invest just over $9 million for White Hills Primary School.

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