Thursday, 30 May 2024

Financial counsellors

Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (17:43): (933) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Consumer Affairs. Financial counsellors play an incredible role in supporting people in hardship across our state, whether they are dealing with telcos, banks, insurers or toll road operators. Any of us can find ourselves in hardship at any time. It is critically important that we have this service here in Victoria. Whether it be family violence or whether it is gambling, our rural financial counsellors are helping people across a myriad of issues. Indeed subsequent to the storms, where we have seen people who have suffered flood damage and other things, financial counsellors have been so invaluable to supporting people. Following on from Mirboo North, the financial counsellors were there in the days following. I spoke to them on the ground in Mirboo North, based out of Leongatha and surrounds, when they were supporting locals in the follow-on. The thing about financial hardship is that with a lot of the issues, particularly when we look at our rural financial counsellors, there is need for support over a long period of time.

That is why I am absolutely proud that the government enables legislation and puts in regulation that protect Victorian consumers – we know that the Liberal Party would never, ever look to do that. It is this side that protects Victorian consumers and supports financial counsellors to get the best outcomes for Victorians. I am proud of the millions and millions of dollars of investment in this budget, whether it is helping families across Victoria or the investment across the variety of financial counsellors that I spoke to before. The action I seek is: can the Minister for Consumer Affairs please update me on how these millions of dollars of investment to support financial counsellors will be allocated?