Thursday, 4 December 2025

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:40): On this side of the house we know from talking to working people and Victorian families in suburbs and communities across the state that families are watching every cent. They are watching it in their weekly shop, in their energy bills, at the pharmacy counter and also when they send their kids to school. We are a government that stands with these families, helping them to take the pressure off, helping where it matters most.

We are doing this, for example, in making public transport free for all kids under the age of 18, saving families up to $755 a year per child. We are giving seniors, carers and disability pensioners free travel on weekends right across the state. We are also making it easier to get care at the chemist, being able to get treated for those conditions for free. Whether it is a urinary tract infection or getting a script refilled for your contraceptive pill or shingles, it is helping families get more access to health care, saving time and money and avoiding a trip to the GP. In education we are doubling the funding and support for camps, sports and excursions. We are expanding breakfast clubs to every government school, and of course we are helping with the costs of sport and uniforms as well. We are doubling food relief. We are supporting families under mortgage stress as well, and of course through the power saving bonus we are also helping families with their energy bills.

We are doing this because we are focused on what matters most to Victorian families, to working people, making the responsible decisions so we can invest in their households, supporting their budgets, supporting their kids and of course building for the future, because that is what Labor does.