Health and cost-of-living help dominate Vic budget

There’s billions in cost of living relief in the Victorian budget with help aimed at families with children, as questions remain over public service cuts.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2025/26 VICTORIAN BUDGET

* $2.3 billion in cost-of-living relief, much of it aimed at families with children aged under 18

* $3.3 billion will be slashed from the public service and a predicted 1200 full-time equivalent positions lost but details of the cuts and changes to programs are not yet known

* Net operating surplus of $600 million in 2025/26 but net debt is tipped to hit $194 billion in mid-2029 as interest payments rise to $29 million each day

* The government says health and wellbeing account for one third of expenditure

KEY COST-OF-LIVING MEASURES

* New $100 Power Saving Bonuses for households with a concession card holders, costing $50 million

* The Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund for students who live with a concession card holder will jump to $400 per child, to the tune of $152.3 million

* An additional 65,000 Get Active Kids vouchers for families to spend on school uniforms, fees and equipment worth up to $200 per child in 2026, which costs $15 million

* Rebates for electric heat pumps and solar hot water systems, costing $30 million

* $18 million for food relief charities and supporting organisations

* Camping fees will stay half price for two more years, costing $10.5 million

* Under 16s can continue to visit zoos for free on weekends, public holidays and school holidays under a $15 million program

KEY HEALTH SPENDING:

* A record $31b in health funding

* The additional $11.1 billion includes $9.3 billion for hospitals and $497 million for mental health

* $437 million to triple the capacity of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, which offers free consultations with doctors and nurses

* $167 million to improve ambulance response times, including recruiting more staff at Triple Zero Victoria

* $18 million to permanently allow pharmacists to provide certain medications without a doctor’s script, including the contraceptive pill, and expand which conditions they treat

KEY EDUCATION SPENDING:

* $4.9 billion in education finding, including $1.5 billion for new schools and upgrades to existing schools

* $859 million to continue Free Kinder programs for an estimated 160,000 children

* Extra $133 million in funding for core subjects including additional $47m to improve maths education, introducing a numeracy check for students in Year 1 and upskilling maths teachers

* $27 million for pathway coordinators in government secondary schools

* $319.8 million to roll out disability inclusion reforms

KEY INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT SPENDING

* $318 million for free public transport for under 18s and $2.2 million for free public transport for seniors on weekends

* $727 million to turn on the new Metro Tunnel under the CBD, with the final opening date still unknown

* $4.1 billion to expand Sunshine Station, which will be connected to the future airport rail line and Suburban Rail Loop

* $976 million to upgrade roads and bridges across the state in 2025/26, including fixing pot holes

* Extra $270 million to improve the regional rail V/Line network and $52m to increase services on three lines

KEY JUSTICE SPENDING

* $1.6 billion to roll out new bail laws, including $727 million to create an extra 1088 prison beds

* $287 million for a new Financial Assistance Scheme to support victims of crime with medical expenses, emergency financial help and counselling

* $65 million for a tobacco and liquor regulator, which has been touted as a way to crack down on the illicit tobacco trade fuelling a criminal gang conflict

KEY INVESTMENT SPENDING:

* $240 million to boost business growth and investment in the state, including a new $150 million Victorian Investment Fund

KEY EMERGENCY AND DISASTER FUNDING

* $40 million to replace Fire Rescue Victoria trucks and $17.4 million for the organisation to improve cyber security after it was hit by a cyber attack in 2022

* $10 million so the State Control Centre can run 24/7

KEY HOUSING SPENDING:

* $61 million to extend stamp duty concessions for homes on off-the-plan townhouses, units and apartments until October 2026

* $4 million to expand Mortgage Stress Victoria

KEY ENVIRONMENT SPENDING:

* $32.6 million to maintain the health of creeks and rivers, including the Murray Darling Basin

* $21.1 million to protect parks, bush and coastline

* $16.6 million in additional funding to Agriculture Victoria for emergencies and to support animal welfare

KEY INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS SPENDING:

* An extra $167 million for culturally-responsive and self-determined services in health, education and housing

Also read: Multicultural communities and families front and centre in Victorian Budget