Thursday, 19 June 2025

 Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (12:48): (1658) My constituency question is to the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and I ask: how is the Victorian government providing vital support to the constituents I have got in the Southern Metropolitan Region who may be in financial hardship or facing financial difficulties? We know that there are many in our community, including some constituents in Southern Metro who I have had emails about in recent times, who are facing significant financial difficulties, with lots of financial pressures that are piling up, many through no circumstances of their own. There is support available. For example, the state government in the recent budget provided $4 million to Mortgage Stress Victoria to help them provide valuable support and financial planning, particularly to those who need to look at how they structure and restructure their loans. I think everyone in this chamber and beyond would agree that for people in financial stress it is important to provide them with the support that they need to get them through.