A strong safety net for Victorian families

The 2009 State Budget provides a safety net for Victorian families during difficult economic times by investing strongly in health, education and housing.

The Treasurer of Victoria, John Lenders, said the Brumby Labor Government was taking action to support Victorian families in tough global times and for the future.

“The Brumby Labor Government’s 2009 State Budget builds on a decade of investment in social services to provide a strong safety net for Victorian families,” Mr Lenders said.

“The Brumby Labor Government is standing by Victorian families – delivering the services families need in tough global times.”

Mr Lenders said the Brumby Labor Government is providing a strong safety net by:

• Investing a record $1.71 billion in the State’s education system including $58 million over three years for 200 teaching and learning coaches to help students with maths and science subjects and 50 Ultranet coaches to help young Victorians keep in touch with modern technology;
• Investing $13.6 million to create an extra 4000 kindergarten places across Victoria;
• Investing $2.6 billion to boost Victoria’s hospital and health services including $350 million to open an additional 100 acute beds and treat an extra 39,500 patients;
• Investing $10 million for even better paediatric services at the Royal Children’s Hospital;
• Investing $21 million to treat more than 20,000 public dental patients over the next two years;
• Investing $56 million to help older Victorians live healthy, independent lives in their own homes;
• Investing $134.7 million to reform out of home care, securing more home based care placements for children removed from their families, building capacity in residential care, recruiting 100 new live-in carers for children with challenging behaviours, recruiting new family mentors to provide intensive in-home support and better supporting community service organisation providing residential care;
• Investing $271 million to build 667 homes and repairs and maintenance, with the Rudd Federal Government, as part of the first phase of the Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan and $99 million to build 488 homes with the Rudd Federal Government as part of the National Partnership Agreement on Social Housing;
• Investing $26 million to expand the successful Neighbourhood and Community Renewal program to help disadvantaged neighbourhoods create local jobs and new opportunities for local residents;
• Investing $10.2 million for New Workforce Partnerships to boost the employment of people facing systemic workforce barriers by linking them with employment opportunities. At least 1150 disadvantaged jobseekers will benefit from the program over two years;
• Investing $21.3 million for the new Early in life program which will provide mental health diagnosis, treatment and support for children and adolescents; and $4.5 million for two new Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Schools Early Action teams to be established in metropolitan and rural regions; and $3 million for a new Youth Justice Mental Health initiative to provide clinical treatment and care coordination support to youth justice clients, including those who are leaving custody and are about to reintegrate in the community;
• Investing $42 million to increase the Water and Sewerage Concession Cap; and
• Investing a record $1.9 billion to provide Victoria Police with the resources they need to keep Victorian families safe.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to deliver jobs now and support Victorian families through the Global Financial Crisis,” Mr Lenders said.