Victorian Budget 2024-25: Key Portfolio Measures

7 May 2024

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Department of Treasury and Finance

The Government continues to focus on easing the cost of living pressures facing Victorians with a renewed effort to boost home ownership. The Government has announced they will end their shared equity scheme, the Victorian Homebuyer Fund, next year, to be replaced by the Federal Government’s similar Help to Buy scheme. The Commonwealth scheme has yet to pass Parliament.

Expenditure in the Treasury and Finance portfolio 2024-25 includes:

  • $700 million in asset funding in 2024-25 to expand the Victorian Homebuyer Fund, in the final year before it is replaced by the Help to Buy scheme. $11.6 million is also provided in output funding over the next four years to manage the transition.
  • $80 million over four years from 2024-25 to expand the State Revenue Office’s tax compliance programs.
  • $19.7 million over four years from 2024-25 to the Victorian Asbestos Eradication Agency’s operations and services for people impacted by asbestos and silica-related diseases.
  • $3.1 million in 2024-25 to Wage Inspectorate Victoria to foster fair and safe workplaces through a range of programs, including education and compliance actions.
  • $2.1 million over three years from 2024-25 to address mental health risks in the public service.

Department of Premier and Cabinet

The Government has committed to support the State’s multicultural communities through various funding measures. Moderate levels of funding have also been committed in efforts to strengthen Victoria’s international agenda and support the administration of the public sector.

Expenditure in the Department of Premier and Cabinet in 2024-25 includes:

  • $11.9 million over the forward estimates to establish a Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission, responsible for managing and investigating allegations of misconduct by all Members of Parliament, Ministers and Secretaries.
  • $5.2 million over the forward estimates from 2024-25 to continue the delivery of the Victorian African Communities Action Plan, seeking to support the State’s African community.
  • $4.4 million over the next three years from 2024-25 to continue the delivery of early support programs provided to newly arrived migrant communities. This includes funding for Community Hubs Australia and Refugee Legal.
  • $4 million over the next two years from 2024-25 to implement anti-discrimination measures.

Department of Transport and Planning

The Government continues to invest in infrastructure and transport services across the state, along with reforms to the building industry to support their target of 800,000 new homes over the next decade as part of the Housing Statement.

In an attempt to ease infrastructure spending, and in the context of ongoing negotiations with Melbourne Airport, the Melbourne Airport Rail Link has been delayed by at least four years to 2033.

Expenditure in the Department of Transport and Planning in 2024-25 includes:

  • $702.2 million over four years from 2024-25 for the operation of new transport infrastructure being delivered as part of Victoria’s Big Build.
  • $151.2 million in 2024-25 to prepare for the operation of the new Metro Tunnel, including recruiting and training new train drivers.
  • $362.5 million in 2024-25 to address COVID-19 related impacts on the transport network, including lower revenue during the pandemic.
  • $104.3 million over two years from 2024-25 for freight rail corridor maintenance to support more freight being moved by rail.
  • $24.8 million over four years from 2024-25 to improve bus and ferry services across Melbourne and broader Victoria.
  • $87.3 million over three years from 2024-25 to rectify cladding posing safety risks as part of the ‘Cladding Rectification’ program.
  • $63.3 million over three years from 2024-25 for building reforms to support the delivery of 800,000 new homes over the next decade. These reforms include increasing access to domestic building insurance and delivering a new legislative framework, the need for which was highlighted following the collapse of Porter Davis Homes in March 2023.
  • $7.3 million in 2024-25 to accelerate approvals for large-scale renewable energy projects.

Department of Health

The Government has increased funding to health compared to the last financial year with a particular focus on supporting hospitals. Following on from the reforms to the National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA) agreed at National Cabinet last year, an increase in Commonwealth funding to the states has resulted in a funding uplift for health services.

In response to cited mental health workforce shortages, the Government has announced that 35 of the planned new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals will be delayed. The Government also announced the proposed new Royal Melbourne Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital campuses will no longer be located at Arden, due to electromagnetic interference from trains threatening medical equipment. These campuses will now be built at Parkville.

Expenditure in the Department of Health in 2024-25 includes:

  • $7.3 billion over four years from 2024-25 to hospital operations, including supporting clinical staff and emergency ward services.
  • $1.01 billion over four years from 2024-25 as part of the NHRA reconciliation adjustment.
  • $754.5 million over four years from 2024-25 to open and operate new hospital facilities, including the new Footscray Hospital and expanding the Latrobe Regional Hospital.
  • $418.3 million over three years from 2024-25 for the Monash Medical Centre Redevelopment to deliver better access to quality care for the south-eastern suburbs.
  • $359.5 over three years from 2024-25 for the Northern Hospital Redevelopment, including the establishment of a new emergency department and alcohol treatment centre.
  • $146.3 million over three years from 2024-25 to deliver timely ambulance operations and reduce pressure on emergency departments.
  • $125.7 million over four years from 2024-25 to secure the supply of blood and blood products to Victorian hospitals.

Department of Education

As part of its commitment to provide cost of living relief, the Government will provide a $400 package to all children attending one of the State’s Government schools, and eligible concession card holders at non-government schools. This package can be put towards school uniforms, camps and excursions, and sports.

The Government will also construct 16 new schools, contributing to its commitment to open 100 new schools across the state by 2026.

Expenditure in the Department of Education in 2024-25 includes:

  • $1 billion over the forward estimates for the construction 16 new schools, as part of the Government’s plan to open 100 new schools across the state by 2026.
  • $553.9 million over the forward estimates for government and non-government schools to meet student enrolment growth.
  • $287 million over three years to deliver the ‘School Saving Bonus’, which provides a $400 allowance to all government and eligible non-government school students to cover the cost of uniforms and activities.
  • $186.8 million over the forward estimates to acquire relocatable buildings in efforts to relieve capacity pressure at schools and to provide additional functional learning spaces across the state.
  • $128.6 million towards the ‘Best Start, Best Life’ reforms, to continue funding Kinder Kits to all children enrolled in three-year-old kindergarten for the 2025 kinder year.
  • $115.8 million over the forward estimates to deliver the ‘Active Schools’ program, including swimming and water safety education programs to improve students’ swimming and water safety competency.
  • $70.9 million over the next three years from 2024-25 to support the delivery of senior secondary completion in non-school settings.
  • $63.8 million over the forward estimates to deliver early intervention support, occupational health and safety mental health advisory, peer support and supervision to school workforce.
  • $32.8 million to continue and expand the ‘Students with Disabilities Transport’ program, which provides transport to students with disabilities enabling them to attend specialist schools.
  • $17.8 million over the next two years from 2024-25 to grow the teaching workforce across the State’s Government schools, with funding allocated to the ‘International Teacher Recruitment’ initiative and to support flexible job-sharing arrangements.

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

The Government has made various commitments to assist in managing State forests following the cessation of native timber harvesting and signaled its intention to protect and restore Victoria’s waterways and catchments with an injection of funding. Additionally, the Government is providing funding to support the delivery of the offshore wind program.

Expenditure in the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action in 2024-25 includes:

  • $290 million over the forward estimates for the delivery of the forestry contractor strategy. Funding will secure the services of forestry sector contractors for forest and fire management purposes through a competitive tender process.
  • $270.4 million over the forward estimates to protect and restore Victoria’s waterways and catchments.
  • $156.8 million over the next two years from 2023-24 to support the native timber harvesting transition. Funding is allocated to support the cessation of native timber harvesting operations, including the closure of VicForests from 30 June 2024.
  • $138 million over the forward estimates to improve knowledge and access to the State’s water resources.
  • $115.6 over the forward estimates towards the ‘Future Forests’ program. Funding will support various measures that assist in managing more than 1.8 million hectares of State forests, where harvesting has stopped.
  • $85.5 million over the next four years from 2023-24 towards protecting the State from biosecurity threats – such as foot-and-mouth, lumpy skin disease and the risk of Red Imported Fire Ants.
  • $18.3 million over the next two years from 2024-25 to deliver the offshore wind program, as the Government works towards its commitment to procure projects that will generate at least 2 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2032.
  • $12.5 million to establish VicGrid. Funding is provided to support VicGrid’s transmission planning reforms, including establishing VicGrid as the transmission planner for Victoria and to continue policy development and engagement to support implementing the new Victorian Transmission Investment Framework.

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

The Government continues to invest in Victoria’s creative agencies and cultural institutions, as well as funding sporting excellence and sporting infrastructure programs, and further investment in Victoria’s startup ecosystem.

Expenditure in the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions in 2024-25 includes:

  • $394.3 million over three years from 2023-24 to boost access to free TAFE and training services.
  • $128.4 million over two years from 2023-24 to support Victoria’s creative agencies and cultural institutions to fund operating capacity and program delivery.
  • $112.7 million across two years from 2024-25 to the TAFE Services Fund, to support the TAFE Network in meeting Victoria’s current and future skills requirements.
  • $57.7 million over two years from 2024-25 to support sporting and event centres through the funding of the State Sport Centres Trust, the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust. An additional $20.1 million in asset initiatives for the State Sport Centres Trust and the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust including the replacement of the existing southern scoreboard and flood mitigation works at the Kardinia Park Stadium.
  • $39.9 million over the forward estimates to support Victoria’s startup ecosystem including the continued operations of LaunchVic to facilitate founders and startups in developing critical skills, accessing networks, and enhancing their ability to access capital.
  • $32.9 million across the forward estimates to support excellence in sport through funding for the Victorian Institute of Sport, and its programs, to back Victorian categorised athletes.
  • $32.5 million over four years from 2023-24 towards destination marketing activities to support Victoria’s visitor economy.
  • $17.5 million over three years from 2024-25 to deliver community sports infrastructure and basketball hubs including the following community sport and active recreation infrastructure and pathway programs: Local Sports Infrastructure Fund, Country Football and Netball Program, Basketball hubs, and other community sport and recreation projects.

Department of Justice and Community Safety

The Government continues to invest in preventing and responding to gambling harm, as well as funding the establishment of a new financial assistance scheme for victims of crime, and providing funding to address justice system costs associated with court programs.

Expenditure in the Department of Justice and Community Safety in 2024-25 includes:

  • $165.7 million over the forward estimates to prevent and respond to gambling harm by delivering the ‘Gambler’s Help’ program, initiatives, and community education campaigns.
  • $71.9 million in 2024-25 to operationalise a new financial assistance scheme for victims of crime through the commencement of the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) in late 2024.
  • $53.3 million over four years from 2024-25 to support the corrections system to improve community safety.
  • $52.3 million over five years from 2023-24 to address justice system costs associated with court programs including funding for Victoria Police, the Office of Public Prosecutions, Victorian Legal Aid, and corrections and justice services.
  • $35.3 million across four years from 2024-25 to support a safe and stable Youth Justice System through funding culturally responsive services to support Aboriginal young people in custody, specialised support for young people with diagnosed disabilities, and behaviour support specialists and training programs to support Youth Justice staff.
  • $31.4 million over three years from 2024-25 to safeguard public prosecution services through funding for the Office of Public Prosecutions to support the prosecution of serious crimes in Victoria.

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

The Government continues to invest in child protection and family services, prioritising early intervention support for victim survivors. The Government also delivered on the Victorian Redress Scheme, first announced in February, to support children who experienced institutional abuse or neglect.

Expenditure in the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in 2024-25 includes:

  • $197.6 million over the next two years from 2024-25 to continue funding for the Family Preservation and Reunification Response program, reuniting children with their families.
  • $196.9 million over the forward estimates from 2024-25 towards programs that support people facing, or are at risk of, homelessness.
  • $165 million for the Victorian Care Leavers Redress scheme, following the Premier’s formal apology to Victorians who experienced historical institutional abuse.
  • $128.1 million over the forward estimates from 2024-25 for the provision of child protection and care services systems.
  • $111.4 million over the next three years from 2023-24 for the settlement of civil claims for historical institutional child abuse.
  • $72 million over the two years from 2024-25 to support family violence victim survivors through early intervention.
  • $41.6 million over the forward estimates from 2024-25 to manage perpetrators of family violence.
  • $39.3 million over the forward estimates from 2024-25 to establish an independent Social Services Regulator. 

Department of Government Services

Facing resource constraints in this portfolio, the Government prioritised investment in cyber defence capabilities and measures to regulate the consumer marketplace, namely, providing advice to renters and financial counselling for family violence victim survivors.

Expenditure in the Department of Government Services in 2024-25 includes:

  • $21.4 million over the next two years from 2024-25 towards human resources functions in three Government departments.
  • $10.8 million over the next three years from 2024-25 for the Cyber Defence Centre.
  • $8 million over the next two years from 2024-25 towards organisations delivering advice, advocacy and legal assistance to renters.
  • $6.8 million over the forward estimates from 2024-25 to deliver financial counselling services for family violence victim survivors.

 

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