The State Labor Government is making life easier, safer and more affordable for families across the Ripon electorate in this year’s Victorian State Budget.
Cost of living pressures are being felt by everyone across rural and regional Victoria. Donald Trump's war in the Middle East is impacting us at home, including pushing up fuel prices.
That's why this State Budget delivers 20 per cent off car regos, saving a driver up to $186, and a family with two cars up to $372. This is real help with the cost of living right now, while still delivering a surplus.
We're also taking pressure off the pump with free public transport in April and May - then half-price fares from June 1 until the end of the year. This will save the average daily commuter on the Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough lines more than $1,300 and makes a daily fare from June just $5.70 – less than a cup of coffee.
Victoria has one of the best school systems in the world, with NAPLAN results that lead the nation. But the rising cost of living is putting pressure on household budgets.
From free School Breakfast Clubs, to more affordable uniforms, this Budget invests $59.4 million to help families with school-age kids. This includes expanding the Glasses for Kids program to more schools - delivering free eye tests and free glasses to kids who need them.
From Free Kinder to Free TAFE - and everything in between - the State Labor Government is investing in education.
This Budget is also investing $2.2 billion to support students with disability in our schools, making sure every child gets the support they need to learn, grow and thrive.
We're transforming early childhood education and delivering Free Kinder - saving families up to $2,700 per child every year. This Budget also invests nearly half a billion dollars to build and upgrade kinders and government-run childcare centres, including expanding the Beaufort Early Childhood Centre.
Rural and regional Victoria is at the heart of this Budget - and this Labor Government. We're investing $114 million in rural and regional education.
This Budget delivers upgrades to 59 more schools across the state. For the local community in Maryborough, we're delivering over $18 million to upgrade Maryborough Education Centre - because Labor is making sure kids get the education they deserve in world class facilities.
We’re also delivering $9.36 million to upgrade Ararat Primary School and $161,000 to upgrade the Out of School Hours Care facility at Miners Rest Primary School - because Labor is making sure country kids get the education they deserve in world class facilities.
This Budget is also investing $200,000 to deliver a new pump track for local kids in Haddon – a grassroots win that was led by local school students at Haddon Primary School.
We’re delivering $480,000 to support five Basketball High Performance Hubs in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton and Traralgon.
The Rural Financial Counselling service offers free help to families across Ripon who are doing it tough, helping them to get their finances back on track. This Budget invests $1.8 million to continue this important work, supporting local farmers and families.
We’re also extending the Victorian Fox Bounty program with a $2.2 million investment to help manage the impacts of livestock predation.
The $75 million Regional Health Infrastructure Fund will go towards supporting rural and regional hospitals and health services. And we're investing $20 million into the Future Regions Program to boost productivity, liveability and investment in Victoria's regions. Because no matter where you live, every Victorian deserves access to the same quality public services.
The State Labor Government always invests in our health system. Since 2014, we've delivered 11 new hospitals and hired 41,900 nurses, midwives, doctors and healthcare workers. This Budget invests $26.08 million to hire 250 extra graduate nurses and delivers fast-tracked surgery and specialist appointments for kids.
In Victoria, equality is not negotiable, everyone has the right to be who they are, and we proudly celebrate our LGBTIQA+ communities. That's why the State Labor Government is investing $2 million in mental health and peer support for LGBTIQA+ young people in Ballarat and Geelong, through Qhub.
Victoria has more police than any other state. With this Budget, we're boosting police resources by recruiting 200 police reservists for desk jobs. This $62 million investment will free up frontline officers, making sure they're out where they're needed most and keeping communities in Ripon safe. We're also investing $33.5 million in the Violence Reduction Unit, to stop crime before it starts.
We’re also providing $2 million for V/line to improve safety at Ballarat station through CCTV improvements.
Funding has also been set aside for the design of new CCTV cameras at Beaufort railway station, a step toward improving safety, security, and peace of mind for passengers and staff.
Victoria is one of the most fire-prone areas in the world, which is why we're delivering an additional
$100 million for new CFA tankers and pumpers to ensure our firefighting fleet can protect Victorians.
We're also investing $26.2 million to deliver CFA facilities. This includes a new modern station for the Kingston Fire Brigade which will be built on existing CFA land, making sure our emergency services have all the resources they need to keep our region safe.
Agribusiness is one of the biggest economic drivers to our state's economy and is the lifeblood of so many rural and regional communities.
This Budget invests $84 million in support for Victoria’s farmers and agricultural industries. That includes $62 million provided in response to the January 2026 bushfires for our primary producers and agricultural sectors, including through primary producer grants, concessional loans and emergency fodder support.
We’re investing $7.4 million in supporting those who work in agriculture, including funding for the next generation of women leaders through the Rural Women's Network Leadership and Mentoring Program.
We’ve also allocated $5 million to continue to stock fish in Victoria’s waterways each year.
For generations, the Country Women's Association of Victoria has been looking out for rural and regional communities. The State Labor Government is proud to support their work, investing $150,000 in this Budget to help the CWA provide financial relief and practical help to women, children and families in need.
With this Budget, we're making life easier by giving busy Victorians time back in their day, with better roads and more public transport. We're funding the biggest roads blitz in the state's history - $1.04 billion is going towards rebuilding, repairing and resurfacing roads across Victoria, with 70 percent of the funds going to rural and regional Victoria.
Quotes attributable to Martha Haylett MP, Member for Ripon
“This Budget delivers real outcomes across our region, including major school upgrades and cost of living relief.”
“No matter if you’re a family in Beaufort, Wedderburn, or Linton, you will be supported in this budget - including through 20 per cent off your car rego, free breakfast clubs in schools, and free kinder.”
“It is only Labor that delivers for Ripon and our regions.”
