Tuesday, 3 March 2026

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (21:24): (2365) My adjournment matter is to the Minister for Carers and Volunteers on an issue that goes to the very heart of our regional communities, the future of our neighbourhood and community houses. Across northern Victoria, from our regional centres to our smallest towns, neighbourhood houses are not an optional extra. They are essential infrastructure. Every week more than 185,000 Victorians walk through their doors seeking education, food relief, social connection, emergency assistance and practical support. In many of our communities there is nowhere else to turn, yet these vital community facilities, these community hubs, are being pushed to the brink. Rising power bills, insurance premiums, wages and program costs are increasing, yet core funding has failed to keep pace with CPI for years. Around half of all neighbourhood houses in Victoria are operating at a loss. In regional areas like ours it is simply unsustainable. I have received an email from Kirsten. She wrote:

Castlemaine Community House and Maldon Neighbourhood Centre were the first place I went to to meet people and find community when I moved to the area. I’ve learnt new skills, like how to use a chainsaw, I’ve improved my wellbeing through yoga classes and I’ve had some wonderful opportunities to volunteer to give back to my community.

Community houses are places to meet, be safe, get help, and to learn. They are the centre of disaster recovery in my community and in good times and difficult times have been a place where my community knows they can … come together. My community house is a unique reflection of my community, reflecting the sense of place and connection of the Castlemaine community.

At a time when people of all ages are becoming disconnected, Community Houses must be supported to keep communities connected and stable.

She mentioned that neighbourhood houses are facing rising costs, increasing demand and an erosion of core funding. Funding no longer covers staff wages, let alone operational expenses, and this cannot continue. In northern Victoria these centres are often the first responders in times of bushfire, flood or personal crisis, and I have seen the valuable work of neighbourhood houses across our region in Eaglehawk, Long Gully and Kangaroo Flat, providing a place of connection, education and food relief. Rochester Community House was a pillar of strength during the floods, and Castlemaine Community House continues to be a central support for the region following the recent bushfires that devastated Harcourt.

The Buloke shire recently moved a motion reflecting their strong support for urgent and increased investment in Victoria’s neighbourhood house sector. I also met a number of volunteers from across the state on the steps of Parliament recently, who had come to ask for an urgent restoration of funding. They keep their doors open for the most vulnerable, providing pathways into jobs and training, delivering emergency food and relief and building stronger communities. The Allan Labor government must guarantee sustainable indexed funding so that our neighbourhood and community houses in Victoria can keep their doors open. Regional Victoria cannot afford to lose them.