The Andrews Labor Government is putting patients first in Northern Victoria.
Across our nation – and around the world – the pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on health systems. From a sharp increase of critical COVID patients to disrupted care, resulting in longer hospital recovery time, the last two years have really knocked our health system around.
When we came to government, we put an end to the war on our paramedics. We took ambulance response times from the worst in our history to the best. Now – just like we did before – we’ll ease the pandemic pressure on our hospitals and our healthcare workers.
The Victorian Budget 2022/23 will invest over $12 billion to put patients first, with a Pandemic Repair Plan for more staff, better hospitals and first-class care.
Our healthcare workers have been on the frontline of this pandemic, and we know how important it is that we support them into the future.
We’re backing our healthcare workers with training and the extra pair of helping hands they need, so they can give you the very best care.
That’s why the Budget is delivering funding to train and hire up to 7,000 new healthcare workers, including 5,000 nurses.
We’ll provide 1,125 new Registered Undergraduate Nursing Positions and 75 new Registered Undergraduate Student of Midwifery roles over the next two years, and we’re also recruiting up to 2,000 ex-pat and international healthcare workers through a global workforce recruitment drive.
Right around the nation, demand for emergency services is at an all-time high. Our Triple Zero calltakers and dispatchers are dealing with unprecedented call volumes.
But when you call for an ambulance, every Victorian should have the confidence one will arrive. That’s why we’re delivering another 90 paramedics – which means we’ve added 790 extra paramedics to the workforce since we came to government.
And to help our frontline workers reach Victorians who need help faster, we’re investing $333 million to add nearly 400 new staff to increase Triple Zero call-taking and dispatch capacity for Triple Zero services, including ambulances, and training more operators to allocate calls across the state.
This Budget invests in regional health – because regional Victorians deserve the same level of care as people in Melbourne. At the centre of the plan is a $300m injection to upgrade regional hospitals and healthcare facilities in every corner of our state, the largest Regional Health and Infrastructure Fund boost since it was created by the Andrews Labor Government.
We’re also providing $9 million to regional women’s health services and a further $11.5 million to deliver group parenting sessions to support families with children struggling with their mental health. Because no matter where you live, every Victorian and their family deserves great healthcare.
As we roll-out our Pandemic Repair Plan to make sure people in Northern Victoria get the care they deserve, we’re also getting on with delivering the schools, roads and public transport services they rely on.
Students with special needs should receive the same opportunities as every other student in our state. That’s why we are making sure that, since we were elected, every single special school in Victoria will have received funding for a major upgrade. With this Budget, we’re upgrading 36 special schools, including Verney Road School which will receive $23.7 million to deliver the first stage of the transition to a new site, including upgrades and better, bigger buildings at the former Wanganui Park Secondary College site.
Mildura Specialist School will also benefit with a $12.6 million investment to replace relocatable buildings with new permanent ones and upgrade the Living Skills Building and further up the river, Cobram and District Specialist School will receive $3.9 million to deliver stage 2 of the masterplan.
But that’s not all, Swan Hill Specialist School will receive $6.3 million to upgrade the school, including the main classroom building giving kids great classrooms for a great education – and at the same time creating local jobs to build them.
To make sure every young Victorian gets the education they need for the career they want, the new VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate will replace VCAL, offering students more choices, a higher-quality curriculum and better workplace experiences – preparing students to jump into further study, training at TAFE or work as soon as they leave school.
The VCAL reforms will save many Victorian families up to $1,000 by cutting out-of-pocket costs, with students no longer having to pay for essential learning materials for VET studies.
We know that parenting young children can be hard work – that’s why Shepparton parents will soon have access to the information and support they need, with a $25 million investment to deliver a new Early Parenting Centre in the region. These centres play a critical role in making sure new parents are getting the advice they need, including support with sleeping, feeding and extra care for babies with additional needs.
The Andrews Labor Government’s first ever Royal Commission into Mental Health told us that when it to comes to accessing mental health care, Victorians don’t know where to turn, or who to turn to. That’s why we’re investing $160 million in an integrated and expanded acute mental health facility in Shepparton – so that if you’re in need of support you’ll get it sooner and closer to home.
Funding is also provided in this Budget to plan for a new emergency department mental health and alcohol and other drug crisis hub in Shepparton. This future hub will ensure specialist care is provided to people requiring urgent treatment for mental health, alcohol and drug issues and will also relieve pressure on the emergency department to treat other patients.
We know better roads get us where we need to go sooner and safer – and building them creates new jobs for Victorians. It’s why this Budget delivers funding to deliver traffic signals to improve the safety and operation of the intersection of Graham Street and the Goulburn Valley Highway, Shepparton, improving safety and connectivity for local families on our roads.
Local communities deserve great places to play sport and under the Andrews Labor Government, they will have them. We’re investing $88 million to build, upgrade and renovate community sporting infrastructure across Victoria, including at the Old Aerodrome Sporting Complex in Mildura, where $500,000 is provided to install match standard lighting at three pitches of the soccer precinct. In Cobram, $30,000 will also be provided towards the refurbishment of toilet facilities at the Cobram Cricket Club.
Northern Victoria will have even more to offer returning tourists with $3 million allocated to the “Trail Of Lights” which will become a key anchor attraction that will attract more visitors to the region. The ability to transform a landmark site, using thousands of solar immersive large-scale light installations will provide a stunning, memorable experience for locals and visitors alike.
Funding of $931,000 is also provided to establish a destination wetlands precinct at Wycheproof, using currently redundant water storage basins, to provide a new nature-based tourism experience. The Wycheproof Wetlands Precinct will provide a valuable habitat for fish, insects and amphibians, with vegetation development designed to attract increased bird life and create a diverse natural experience. The Precinct will be connected to the Recreation Reserve and Caravan Park to attract overnight visitors, with specific infrastructure installed to enhance the visitor experience and create new recreation opportunities for the wider community.
We know that many Victorians are still paying too much for their energy bills-that’s why we’re stepping in to help families get the best deal. We’re providing a once-off $250 payment for all Victorian households that use the Victorian Energy Compare (VEC) website – the Victorian Government’s independent price comparator website – to search for the cheapest electricity plan that suits their needs.
With this Budget, we’re getting on with delivering for all Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp
“Our healthcare workers give it their all every single day, that’s why we’re backing them with the resources they need to keep all Victorians safe and healthy- especially in Northern Victoria.”
“This is a Budget that puts people and families first – and kids with special needs are no different. We’re upgrading special schools across Northern Victoria – because children with special needs deserve the same opportunities as other kids.”
