REGIONAL Victoria has been allocated $2 billion in the state budget but many say it’s not enough to address the issues that regional Victorians are currently facing.
Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said the budget’s increase of levies for waste and fire fighting services would only disadvantage regional ratepayers in what he described as a “double whammy”.
“It will cost Victorian families more to put the bins out, with the waste levy set to more than double from $64.55 to $169.79 per tonne as of July 1 2025,” Mr Walsh said.
“The fire services levy will soar from $847 million in total to $1.433 billion in total, adding more cost-of-living pain for families.”
The budget outlined that levy increases would discourage waste going to landfill and encourage investment in major recycling and waste processing facilities.
“Their bin taxes will go up because the councils will have to pay more to the state government to take rubbish to the tip, so when people see those increases on their rates notices, it’s not because of council, it’s because of the Allan Labor government,” Mr Walsh said.
Families with children going to government schools are set to benefit from the budget’s School Saving Bonus which will apply as a one-off payment of $400 starting from term four this year.
Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said the bonus would help deal with the cost of living as the payment could be put towards the costs of uniforms, school supplies, camps and excursions.
“With its first budget, the Allan Labor government is focused on helping families in Northern Victoria, delivering the projects and services our community deserves,” Ms Symes said.
“From the $400 School Saving Bonus to free vision tests and glasses for kids who need them, this budget provides real cost-of-living support for local families.”
But Mr Walsh said it would do very little to relieve cost-of-living pressures on families.
“Victoria is the most expensive state to send a child to a government school and it will still be the most expensive state even with the rebate the government is offering,” he said.
Similarly, Leader of the Opposition, John Pesutto said Victorians were “paying the price” as funding cuts for community hospitals and delays for major projects such as the Melbourne Airport Rail Link continued.
“While this budget makes cuts to health, education, disability, housing and basic community infrastructure projects, Labor arrogantly presses ahead with a $216 billion train line for Melbourne’s south-eastern and eastern suburbs,” Mr Pesutto said.
“The priorities are all wrong.
“With record debt, record interest, record taxes, service cuts and poorer outcomes it’s clear Labor cannot manage money and Victorians are paying the price.
“This budget is the culmination of a decade of financial mismanagement under Labor.”
