HELPING FAMILIES IN NORTHCOTE

The Allan Labor Government’s first Budget is dedicated to helping families in Northcote. 

 Whether it’s helping with the cost of living, making sure our kids can be their best, record funding for our healthcare system or continuing to invest in more of the services families rely on – the Victorian Budget 2024/25 invests in our community. 

With the current cost of living, covering supplies and extracurricular activities can be hard on families doing it tough. Uniforms, camps and excursions – it all adds up.  

That’s why we are providing a one-off School Saving Bonus to help cover the costs. This $400 bonus will help make sure our kids have everything they need for the school day, supporting families with children at government schools and families at our non-government schools who need it most.  

Dedicated to helping cover the cost of learning essentials and the extracurriculars that make school fun – we’ll work with schools to make it available for the start of the 2025 school year. 

We’re also tripling our free Glasses for Kids program – making sure even more young Victorians can be their best in the classroom, and beyond. Having already helped 34,000 kids across our state – this investment will help 74,000 more, providing free vision screening and prescription glasses for students who need it. 

And because we know that learning isn’t limited to the classroom, we’re investing $6 million to extend our Get Active Kids vouchers – providing up to $200 to help eligible families with the cost of sporting club registration, uniforms and equipment. 

With this Budget, we’re investing more than $1.8 billion to continue building the Education State – and building a better future for Victoria’s children. 

We want young Victorians to have what they need to succeed in the classroom. It's why this Budget invests in upgrading schools across our state, including Thornbury Primary School. This upgrade will modernise the school, deliver a new two-storey community hub, junior years learning centre, upgrades to the library and main building.  

But we’re not just building classrooms, we’re improving what happens inside them too. From extra help for teachers, to supporting more kids to finish their education – this year’s Budget provides targeted investment where it matters most.    

Community legal services do an incredible job, making sure Victorians can access the legal support they need. We’re supporting this important work with $28.8 million for community legal centres and specialist legal services – including Fitzroy Legal Service.  

Only Labor Governments truly invest in our hospitals – because we know what they mean to Victorian families. In this year's Budget we'll continue to support the health services families rely on, delivering an upgrade to the Austin Hospital.  

This investment will refurbish the existing emergency department, expanding its capacity and making it more comfortable for patients and staff. A new paediatric emergency department zone will also be created for our youngest patients.  

Since we came to government, Victoria’s public hospitals now employ over 5,000 more doctors, and over 13,000 more nurses. During the pandemic, when our health system was stretched like never before, we acted decisively – providing record funding to bolster our health system. 

Since the pandemic, the cost of running our health system has continued to increase – but every cent is worth it to keep Victorians healthy. That’s why we’re making the biggest multi-year investment in our health system in Victoria’s history. It’ll mean our hospitals have the long-term certainty they need over the coming years. 

For too long, women's health issues have been overlooked and underdiagnosed. This Budget invests $18.3 million to improve women's health and wellbeing, with support for 12 women's health organisations to provide preventative health programs through community outreach and education. 

The Metro Tunnel will transform the way we move around our city and state. Opening next year, it will be the biggest public transport project since the City Loop, more than 40 years ago. This year’s Budget invests more than $233 million, getting passengers ready for Day One. This includes continuing to recruit and train drivers, timetabling and signaling work, and completing final testing.   

Each investment is an investment in the people of Northcote. 

Because this is a Budget – and a Government – dedicated to helping families.   

Quotes attributable to Member for Northcote Kat Theophanous 

“Thornbury Primary has been teaching kids in our community for more than 100 years. These upgrades will make sure this fantastic school has the modern classrooms and learning spaces it needs for future generations.”  

“This Budget will make a real difference to families. Our $400 School Saving Bonus will help cover the costs of kids’ uniforms and activities – giving families one less thing to worry about.” 

“I’m proud to be part of a government that is listening to women – and giving their healthcare the funding and focus it deserves.”