Making life easier, safer and more affordable

These new cost of living challenges mean life is difficult for busy families.

In today’s world, even when you work hard and do the right thing, time and money can feel tight.

That’s why this Budget is focused on making life easier, safer and more affordable.

We’re easing pressures where we can with real help, right now with $2.5 billion in cost of living supports and housing initiatives to make life more affordable:

• Instant real cost of living help, with a 20% rebate on car registration fees, free public transport in April and May, and half-price public transport until 1 January 2027.
• More help to keep costs down for families by continuing free public transport for under 18s, School Breakfast Clubs, the Affordable School Uniforms program, and an expanded Glasses for Kids program.
• Additional assistance for those most in need with more food relief and food banks, financial counselling and crisis funding.

We’re continuing to make life easier by giving busy Victorians time back in their day with better roads and more reliable public transport.

Our Budget plans for the future and continues to invest in health, education and community safety.

It’s why we’re delivering more accessible healthcare by opening a new community hospital, supporting services at 3 others in local communities, and providing young families with better paediatric and maternity services.

It’s why we’re investing in our kids’ future – building 4 new schools and campuses, upgrading 31 existing schools and continuing to deliver kinder.

And it’s why we’re keeping communities safe by recruiting 50 extra PSOs and up to 200 police reservists, freeing up existing police to do more frontline work. We’re also ensuring our justice system works efficiently and providing a $33 million boost to the Violence Reduction Unit to keep communities safe.

We’ve taken action to reduce duplication and inefficiencies, so we can prioritise helping Victorians with the cost of living when it’s needed.

We have a fiscal plan and it is working. The Budget is projected to be in surplus in 2025-26 and over the forward estimates.

Net debt as a share of the economy will fall in 2027-28 and every year of the forward estimates. This Budget builds on funding announced in previous years and continues to invest in the future of our state.

^{* See Tables 10, 22, 28 and 31 in the Departmental Performance Statement.}