Delivering for Melbourne

A Fairer Victoria is the Brumby Government’s landmark action plan to reduce disadvantage and share our State’s prosperity with more Victorians by building stronger and more inclusive communities. In this fourth year of A Fairer Victoria, our focus has intensified on four critical preconditions for economic and social participation: a good start, a high-quality education that leads to a rewarding job, good health and liveable communities. This budget has invested $1 billion in areas which we know will make a real difference, including:

• More maternal and child health support for parents of young children and an expansion of home learning, playgroups and three-year old kindergarten to help children who may otherwise fall behind;

• Increased individualised support for Victorians with a disability and their families with $261 million to enable greater independence and participation in Victoria’s social and economic life;

• A major expansion of support for schools to boost their performance, which will especially benefit schools with higher numbers of disadvantaged students, and a stronger focus on Indigenous students with learning plans for every student; and

• More emphasis on health prevention to break the link between low income and chronic disease.

Public Housing Boosted

The Brumby Government is delivering on its commitment to provide affordable accommodation and access to housing for families on low incomes. The 2008 State Budget delivers $86.2 million infinitives to free up more land more quickly and to improve access to public housing for people on low incomes. This builds on the biggest single investment in public housing by any State Government in Australia - $510 million for 2350 affordable homes – announced in last year’s state budget.

Budget Boost for Princes Hill Primary School

Education remains the Brumby Government’s number one priority. As part of the biggest ever school building program in Victoria, the Victorian State Budget provides $5.7million to modernise physical education spaces, general purpose classrooms, canteen and music facilities at Princes Hill Primary School.

Massive Public Transport Investment

At least 5000 additional people will be able to access peak morning trains, with the Brumby Labor Government announcing eight new morning peak train services, as part of a $794.1million infrastructure package to boost capacity and improve public transport for all Victorians. The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to deliver short, medium and long term initiatives to improve public transport for all Victorians. Since 1999 our Government has implemented the biggest overhaul of the regional train network, added more than 1000 extra weekly services to the metropolitan train system, expanded tram services and improved bus links across the State.

Planning for Redevelopment of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

More than 1.3 million Victorians admitted annually into the State’s public hospitals will benefit from the $1.81 billion State Budget boost to health, which delivers more funding for elective surgery, outpatient appointments, emergency departments and the single biggest investment in ambulance services in the State’s history. The Brumby Labor Government was taking action to deliver quality health services for Victorian families near where they live – and the 2008-09 State Budget’s $466.9 million hospital, mental health and aged care capital works program would deliver redevelopments and upgrades in hospitals and health services across the state. This Government is taking action to ease pressure on our emergency departments, with this funding resulting in 60,000 extra patients being treated emergency departments across the State.

$2 million has been allocated to plan for the redevelopment of the Royal Victorian Eye and EarHospital.

For more information on what Bronwyn has delivered for Melbourne please click the links below.