By Deanne Jeffers
THE 2024-2025 State Budget, delivered on Tuesday, May 7, has promised relief for families but has slashed millions of dollars in funding for critical projects and services, including $207M from public health, $19M from road asset management, and $286M from tourism and major events.
It was Premier Jacinta Allan’s first budget in the top job, and Treasurer Tim Pallas’ 10th state budget, one he has described as a “sensible and disciplined approach,” that will stabilise Victoria’s growing debt. The opposition has accused the government of failing to manage the state’s finances over many years.
State Member for Northern Victoria, Wendy Lovell, hosted the Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell in Shepparton the evening following the budget announcement to break it down for locals.
Ms Lovell said, “The budget is a huge disappointment for Greater Shepparton families who will pay more tax and receive less services and no new infrastructure as Labor continues to chase votes by pork barrelling projects in metropolitan Melbourne.”
Ms Lovell highlighted the aforementioned cuts, as well as $79M from early childhood sector supports and regulation and a 16 per cent reduction in roads maintenance since 2020.
Funding for several major projects have also been delayed, including the Early Parenting Centre in Shepparton with completion pushed back to 2026. Stage 3 of the Shepparton Line Rail Upgrade, due to be completed in 2023, has no firm completion date as the project stalls over signalling works; and redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health is now listed as complete despite several additional stages planned to meet the region’s needs.
Further, funding for critical projects like Stage 1 of the Shepparton Bypass, Clinical Health School, Shepparton Sports and Events Centre and more, will miss out on funding due to the state of finances in Victoria.
Kim O’Keeffe, the State Member for Shepparton District, has also spoken out against the state budget. She said, “We are seeing the real impacts of this debt play out across our communities, resulting in underfunded and under-resourced education, health, housing and transport services.”
“The budget contains no relief for public housing waiting lists or rental stress. Instead, households will be hit with a fire service property levy, and the municipal waste charge is expected to double. Victorians are already struggling to pay their bills, yet we see more strain placed on family budgets.”
Raising concerns that the State Government had abandoned the Shepparton Bypass project, O’Keeffe said of $7.64M allocated to planning for the project, $3.8M is projected to be spent over the next financial year, following $2.2M expected to be spent by mid-year.
“There’s still $1.6 million of unallocated funds despite the government claiming planning will be complete by the end of this year,” she said. “This is a vital project that is well overdue and is essential for our region’s productivity, safety and economic growth.”
