Thursday, 15 August 2024

Motions

Budget papers 2024–25

Debate resumed on motion of Steve Dimopoulos:

That this house takes note of the 2024–25 budget papers.

John MULLAHY (Glen Waverley) (16:21): I rise to take note of the 2024–25 budget papers. This year’s budget was titled ‘Helping Families’, and it certainly does that. This budget focuses on the right priorities – easing the cost of living and investing in our future – and builds on a fairer and stronger Victoria. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic we knew that Victoria’s economy would need support and time to recover from what was a one-in-100-year-event. Our government took the necessary measures to keep our economy moving and our state growing. This meant that we needed to spend additional money to stimulate and support small businesses and Victorians. Now, with international pressures, we are fully aware of the rising cost of living, and this budget takes sensible and proactive measures to help Victorians.

Victoria is proudly the economic powerhouse and centre of Australia’s economy. Gross state product per capita is higher than pre-COVID levels, and we are the fastest growing state in the country, equating to the strongest rebound since the pandemic. Momentum is growing, with record jobs growth and 600,000 new jobs created since the depths of the pandemic. Let me repeat that: that is 600,000 ‍new jobs created for Victorians who have the dignity of work and a pay cheque to come home with.

This budget invests in working families in the Glen Waverley district, funding initiatives in multiple sectors to improve service delivery and ease the cost of living. I am proud that we continue to invest in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, a place of diversity and potential. As part of a total package of $28.78 million, this budget supports the continuation of the Eastern Community Legal Centre’s MABELS program. This program provides early intervention for women experiencing family violence through a health–justice partnership with maternal and child health services. A continuing pattern of behaviour needs to be met with determined action. On average police attend a family violence incident every 6 minutes in Victoria. Family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children. One woman is killed nearly every week in Australia due to family violence, and an estimated 22 per cent of Australian women aged 18 and above have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.

The impacts of family violence are multifaceted, whether they be physical, emotional, psychological or financial. Many are victimised multiple times, and they unfortunately do not recover quickly from their traumatic experiences. I know too well that family and domestic violence is often a case of life and death. I recall going to the police station with my friend to support her in filing for an AVO against her abuser. Heartbreakingly, this was not enough. We lost my dear friend Wendy Chow at the hands of a pathetic coward. Although Wendy is no longer here with us today, her memory lives on, and our efforts to combat these disgraceful acts of violence continue.

The vast majority of violence is committed by men. The way in which men conduct themselves in both private and public situations must be better, and this government is taking nation-leading and actually world-leading action. We have appointed the member for Mordialloc as the first ever Parliamentary Secretary for Men’s Behaviour Change. Whether it be examining the role of social media or researching cultural factors, I am proud to be part of the Allan Labor government, which is taking proactive action, and I thank the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence at the table for all her work in this space.

Responding to family violence also requires a significant health response, and this budget continues to build on an extensive record of investment in Victoria’s health system. In an overall budget package of $572.5 million, significant funding has been allocated to expand the hospital capacity at Monash Health Clayton’s emergency department. With major works to start next year, there will be a seven-floor expansion of the Monash Medical Centre, delivering a new intensive care unit, birthing suites and operating rooms. Projected to be completed in 2029, this will provide a capacity of up to 7500 ‍more surgeries and 2400 more births annually – and a shout-out to my daughter, who was born at that hospital. She has just gone home sick, unfortunately, today. These improvements will directly benefit the residents of the Glen Waverley district as they will have access to world-class medical facilities close to home, and I know my constituents will be extremely grateful for that.

Since coming into government in 2014 this government has continued to provide record funding in our health sector as the cost of running the system has continued to increase. Victoria’s public hospitals since we came to government now employ 5000 additional doctors and 13,000 additional nurses. Elucidating an appropriate and extensive understanding of the pressures hospitals face, we are providing more than $5 million in an overall budget package to provide inpatient bed-based treatment and care for patients with eating disorders. Monash Health has excellent facilities and provides the necessary services for people with eating disorders, and this funding continues to provide the certainty and security that both the patients and the hospitals deserve. Investing in the healthcare infrastructure our state needs creates jobs, saves lives, cuts waiting lists and takes pressure off our hospitals. Only the Allan Labor government will deliver the hospitals and health care that Victorians need.

The single greatest investment a government can make is in education. We know that for every school built, $2 for every $1 invested in education is returned, but money cannot quantify the life-changing impacts of supporting our young people. In seeking to provide greater pathways for young people to engage in and pursue their passions, we are investing $23 million to support students in completing their vocational education and training certificate. This includes $2.7 million for the Education First Youth Foyer down at Holmesglen TAFE in my electorate. In a purpose-built accommodation facility, this program helps young people who have experienced homelessness with specialist support from youth workers and teachers to support them in their education. It is an excellent program, growing students’ both academic and practical skills, and it is delivered in partnership with Launch Housing and the Brotherhood of St Laurence. I sincerely commend the work that they do at the foyer, and I trust that continuing investment by our government is helping some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Additionally, our free kinder program has saved 140,000 families up to $2500 in fees. We have also initiated the Glasses for Kids program, which will help 110,000 kids to receive free vision screening and prescription glasses. An extra $19 million from this budget will help kinders renovate and upgrade early learning facilities as part of the Building Blocks grants program. We are expanding classrooms and native gardens as well as upgrading existing technology and outdoor play spaces. Both of these amazing projects have received additional funding in this year’s budget and this in conjunction with the new school saving bonus will make a real difference to families. The school saving bonus is a one-off payment to families with children at government schools and families with children at non-government schools who need it most. As a parent with a young daughter, I know the costs of sending a child to school certainly do add up. From uniforms to camps, excursions, incursions, supplies and extracurricular activities, the school saving bonus will assist with the cost of living and go a long way to ensuring that kids do not miss out.

On top of these extensive support programs, in this budget there is $6 million to extend the Get Active Kids voucher program, which provides up to $200 to help eligible families with the costs of sporting club registrations, uniforms and equipment. Many children are at their best on the footy field, on the netball court or on the cricket pitch. Sport provides an opportunity for kids to be the best versions of themselves, showcasing their leadership, teamwork and resilience. It also brings the community together, fostering long-lasting friendships, and that is why am proud to note that the 2024–25 budget funds two magnificent community sport projects in my electorate. Firstly, $500,000 of funding has been announced for the delivery of a new pavilion at Brandon Park Reserve in Glen Waverley. Home to the Mazenod Football Club and the Mulgrave Wheelers Hill Cricket Club, this reserve is frequented by many all year round. With a soccer pitch and cricket oval, this widely used facility will greatly benefit from the rebuilding of the existing pavilion, which I must say is in a little bit of disrepair and is not functional for women’s sport at the moment.

In further positive news for our community the Allan Labor government is investing $300,000 to resurface the Central Reserve south oval in Glen Waverley. We are just going to have to wait till the member for Ashwood’s Waverley Blues finish up their season this year, and then their Mount Waverley Reserve will be upgraded. A resurfaced ground will mean better irrigation and drainage, leading to better playing conditions. With a brand new surface the chance of injuries will decrease and the standard of play will increase.

I know the Mazenod Old Collegians Football Club and the Mazenod Panthers all-abilities football club, who both play their footy there, are very excited that their home ground is receiving an upgrade. The old collegians have an excellent football program in place, with boys and girls teams for the juniors and men’s and women’s for the seniors, and the Panthers do an incredible job in providing an opportunity for people with an intellectual disability to compete and to participate in sport. The Panthers are great. I really do think that these upgrades are a symbol of the values that this government holds – bringing people together, not dividing, investing in the future and supporting inclusion for everyone, no matter their background or ability.

How could I not mention the government’s record on the infrastructure agenda? The Metro Tunnel will transform the way Melbourne’s transit system operates. Opening next year, Victorians will see the benefits of eased congestion on the city loop and more frequent services. It is only because of the Labor government that this is being built ahead of schedule, and the 2024–25 budget invests more than $233 million to continue the works and upgrades as well as recruit and upskill train drivers.

I am also delighted to mention another infrastructure project. I must give a warning; it might get some people a little upset over there. Of course I am talking about the SRL, and as a proud Labor government member representing the eastern suburbs of Melbourne it is not lost on me how the people of Victoria have voted in favour of the Suburban Rail Loop.

A member interjected.

John MULLAHY: I will get to that. As the name suggests, this project forms a loop around Melbourne’s metropolitan region. Connecting different train lines, it will lead to an easing of congestion and faster travel times and it will take cars off our roads. This project is more than just upgrading our train lines. It contributes to moving Victoria to a greener and more energy-efficient state. The SRL will also drive economic growth and create hubs in our middle rings, which will reshape our city. Areas around the new stations, such as Glen Waverley, will be areas with options for education, food, leisure and services, and having many of these areas connected to each other will help improve Melbourne significantly.

It will also host diverse housing options. I do want to commend the work that has been done and will continue to be done in planning reform to allow for medium and higher density housing to be built. For far too long the development and supply of housing has been blocked. Progress in dealing with housing affordability has met with the barriers of not only the Liberal Party but also the Greens political party. They choose to spin false narratives and play political games, while their council counterparts continue to block new houses being built in their local government areas. For all of the talk of nimbyism, it would be best if the Greens had a good look at their own backyard.

But this government is pushing on, through actions and not in words. We will implement the changes that are required for our state to become a more accessible place for all. Not once but twice the SRL has been taken to an election and voters in the east have overwhelmingly endorsed it – and in saying so I give a special shout-out to the eastern bloc as well as Mr Leane and Ms Terpstra in the other place. As the representatives of Melbourne’s east we all look forward to the SRL being delivered. While the Liberal Party can yet again seek to cut the SRL, we on this side will stand staunchly opposed to cutting infrastructure investment, cutting the 6000 jobs and cutting an opportunity to modernise our public transport system. It is the same old Liberal trope of cutting investment, cutting jobs and cutting projects.

I do also note in this context that this government is making nation-leading investments into infrastructure. Many remember with disgust the actions of the former Liberal federal government. That government refused to acknowledge that Victoria even existed. They did not remember we existed when they robbed us of our fair share of the GST allocation or our fair share of infrastructure spending. The only time they managed to find Victoria on the map was when undermining our public health response throughout the pandemic, attacking the thousands of frontline workers. To fill the void of a hopeless Liberal government, this state has stepped in – and beyond. We are continuing to progress with important projects, such as removing 110 level crossings by 2030, and it is great news that only the other day our 84th dangerous and congested level crossing was removed.

I will conclude by noting the record jobs and economic growth we have here in Victoria. This is a budget that reflects the priorities of our government in helping families with the cost of living. I know my constituents will welcome the investment made in the Glen Waverley district and beyond, and I am proud to take note of the responsible 2024–25 Victorian state budget.

Wayne FARNHAM (Narracan) (16:36): I am so happy to follow that contribution. I am more than happy to rise on the take-note motion for the 2024–25 budget. I did not think I was going to get to it this year the way the government was going. Thankfully they have listened and have guillotined bills today so we can talk on this. The fact of the matter is – and this is the reality of this government – Labor cannot manage money and Labor cannot manage projects, and Victorians are paying the price. They are paying the price. Before I get stuck into this, we do have to go back to the 2022 election and have to go back to the previous Premier. We have to look at what the previous Premier said at the 2022 election, with the Deputy Premier at the time, the now Premier, right beside him. He stood up there like the Messiah, arms spread, and he said, ‘We can have it all. We can have the SRL, we can have the hospitals and we can have the schools.’ He stood up there proud as punch.

But the reality is now that that is not the case. It is not the case, and I do not know how government members are standing up saying that this is a great budget when it was reported that in their caucus meeting there were people in tears – and I do not think they were tears of happiness. I do not think they were tears of happiness when the government had shelved 100 projects that affected their electorates. I know the member for Bass – I respect the member for Bass; she is a nice person. In Wonthaggi, stage 2 of her hospital has been delayed. The member for Pakenham is another nice person; I have a lot of respect for the member for Pakenham. The Pakenham hospital still has not been started. So to stand up and spruik that this is a great budget is unbelievable. I just cannot believe the conviction that the government backbenchers have when they get up and go, ‘Yay, this is great budget, but we’re not getting the things we were promised.’

I want to talk about the Treasurer, a fellow who has got a similar haircut to me. Again, the Treasurer is not a bad guy. But I did feel sorry for the Treasurer. I felt very sorry for the Treasurer. And where has the member for Glen Waverley gone? He has done a runner, and that is a shame, because this goes to his point. The Treasurer said he was very upset with the federal government because Victoria was not getting its fair share, and I agree with him 100 per cent. The Treasurer stated that Victoria makes up 26 per cent of the population of Australia and we should get that amount of infrastructure spending. I felt sorry for him; I did. I was looking at him and I could see a bit of a tear in his eye. I thought, ‘The bloke needs a packet of tissues and some Tim Tams just to comfort him a bit,’ but I agreed with him. But it is a pity. The Treasurer is very, very hypocritical, because when it comes to infrastructure spending he does not practise what he preaches – far from it. The Treasurer stated that Victoria should get 26 per cent of the federal budget for infrastructure because Victoria makes up 26 per cent of the population. Well, I will say this to the Treasurer: regional Victoria makes up 25 per cent of the Victorian population, so how come regional Victoria does not get 25 per cent of infrastructure spending? In fact out of the $96 billion, regional Victoria is getting $2 billion. How is that fair? How, on one hand, can you blame the federal government for not giving you adequate funding, and yet you turn around and do not give that same funding to regional Victoria? No-one can dispute that that is a hypocritical statement.

The Suburban Rail Loop is a massive problem in Victoria, because it is draining all the money. It is a big black hole of debt that this government is putting us into, and it is affecting the whole of Victoria. Even today the Premier delusionally said that the Suburban Rail Loop will benefit all Victorians. It will not. It does not benefit the seat of Narracan in any way, shape or form. It does not benefit the seat of Mildura, and it does not benefit the seats of Gippsland East, Gippsland South or Morwell. That statement is a blind statement. Although the Premier says, ‘I’m from regional Victoria,’ she does not care about regional Victoria, and that is a problem.

That is a problem in my electorate. In this budget the single biggest issue my electorate has is a new hospital. I have just heard the member for Glen Waverley talk about hospitals and about how great his hospitals are – well, my hospital is stuffed. It is the best way to put it. I would love to use more language, but it would be unparliamentary so I will not do that. My hospital was promised to start in 2024, yet, guess what, in this budget there is no more funding. When will the hospital start? It affects a catchment of about 130,000 people. We have a hospital that is in disrepair. My electoral officer’s wife went in for a procedure – a gallstone removal – and for recovery got put in the maternity ward. If anyone says to me, ‘We’re investing in health in Victoria,’ I will call BS on that, purely because I do not see it invested in my electorate. It was the one big commitment that my electorate has had in as long as I can remember. The then Premier came down. It was a bit of a half-baked announcement; it was in the backyard of someone’s house in Warragul. They said, ‘We’re going to build a hospital. There is $610 million to $675 million, and it will start in 2024.’ Well, it has not started. It is not even close to starting. Looking at the budget papers and the fact that it is not in the 2024–25 budget, hopefully, fingers crossed, it may get into the 2025–26 budget. If we are really lucky, guess when it will start, if it is going to start at all: probably about October 2026. And why is that? Because there is an election around the corner. But I will not be holding my breath, because we have seen the government fail on hospitals time and time again. They failed to deliver one in Geelong, they failed to deliver one in Bentleigh and they failed to deliver 10 community hospitals as well. They have failed on those commitments, so why would West Gippsland be any different? It was the only real announcement of any significance.

But there was another announcement of significance in my area, and that was for the Drouin Secondary College. The Drouin Secondary College got a commitment of $11.7 million from this government, but, guess what, the budget papers came out, and guess which school got shelved? Drouin Secondary College. And why would that be? It is a Liberal seat.

Jess Wilson interjected.

Wayne FARNHAM: And they have run out of money. The only commitment they got out of this government at the last election was the Drouin Secondary College. They have got asbestos in there – it is a college. In reports, Warragul and Drouin have been the fastest growing areas in Australia in the last decade, and the one thing they could have done to help Drouin, which was to invest in the Drouin Secondary College, has been shelved.

Jess Wilson interjected.

Wayne FARNHAM: With 28 other projects, as the Shadow Minister for Early Childhood and Education rightly points out – another 28 other projects. But no, the Minister for Education said, ‘We’ll be done by 2026.’ That is rubbish, because you have no money. The money is gone. I mean, I have heard the Premier talk about us getting in our DeLoreans and going back in time. Well, I tell you what, the people over that side love a DeLorean. They love going back to 1999. Obviously we are all big fans of the film Back to the Future.

A member: Or not.

Wayne FARNHAM: Well, it is a good film. There is a song in that film by Huey Lewis and the News. Huey Lewis and the News wrote a song, and there is a line in that song, and this is why I think it is very pertinent:

You don’t need money, don’t take fame

Don’t need no credit card to ride this train

Well, you could not be any further from the truth in Victoria, because our credit card is maxed out and the government is proceeding with the Suburban Rail Loop – the biggest black hole of money that this state has ever seen. It is not costed properly, and your federal Labor mates do not even want to back it. You go, ‘It’s great, we’ve got a federal government.’ They do not want to back the SRL. So how good is that?

Let us go to airport rail link. We heard the airport rail link was having a dispute and we could not start it because Melbourne Airport did not agree. Well, Melbourne Airport finally gave up – maybe under pressure, maybe they just wanted to get it done. They said, ‘All right. Fine. We’ll go above ground.’ Then what happens? ‘Oh, no, we can’t do that for another four years.’ Well, why not? Because all the money is going into the SRL, and airport rail link will now be deferred for another four years.

The amount of taxes this government is introducing on this state is beyond ridiculous. The lowest of low, the lowest tax you can ever introduce, is a death tax, and that is what they have done – a 650 per cent increase on probate on wills. The poor person that has passed away, they have already paid their taxes God knows how many times over, but ‘No, no, no. We just want to punish them that little bit more and tax them again when they’re in the ground.’ That is absolutely disgraceful. It is disgraceful that the government has brought that tax in as well.

Quite frankly this is a state in crisis. We are a state in crisis because of our debt. The forecast is it will be $188 billion. And what is the interest bill today and our forecast interest bill? $15 million to $26 million per day. Oh, yes, our economy is doing good! Yes, we are great fiscal managers! Bulldust. It is the worst fiscal management I can imagine. When the interest starts to exceed the revenue you have created to pay down the debt, you are going backwards at a very severe rate, so nobody can stand here and tell me in this chamber that our economy is in great condition, because it is not. Walk down Bourke Street. Observe Bourke Street. In the first 150 metres you will see nine empty shops. That is an indication of this economy.

There are not very many private cranes around Melbourne. The cranes we see are government cranes on government projects, with a CFMEU flag attached, which is adding 30 per cent to the cost. But if the economy was booming you would see a lot more private cranes in the air, not on government projects.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Nathan Lambert): I remind the member for Narracan that the word ‘you’ is a reflection on the Chair.

Wayne FARNHAM: I am trying to shout over the rabble over that side, Acting Speaker. I have a great deal of respect for you, but if you could bring them to order that would be appreciated.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Nathan Lambert): If the members on my right could come to order, the member for Narracan can continue.

Wayne FARNHAM: Thank you, Acting Speaker. I appreciate that. The sign of a good economy is when you have private investment, not private departure. We have had over 7000 businesses leave this state. Oh, yes, everybody wants to do business in Victoria! Rubbish. They are all going to South Australia. They are going to New South Wales. Even Tassie is picking up the slack, but not Victoria ‍– no, no, no. But this economy is good! We get out there, and they say this economy is great, but what did the RBA say the other day about the Victorian economy? That it is dragging Australia down. That is a quote from the RBA, and I would trust the RBA over the member for Point Cook any day. I would much, much prefer their opinion than the member for Point Cook’s.

This budget was an absolutely terrible budget. Two major commitments in my electorate – both shelved. The only thing you actually did was make two major commitments. My roads are in disrepair. I sat down with the Premier and begged for $3 million for a roads study. I told him why – got nothing. But what happens? Geelong gets a $4 million scoreboard they did not even want. For goodness sake. The sooner this government starts to invest in my electorate, the sooner I will say it is a good budget. But this budget is rubbish.

Alison MARCHANT (Bellarine) (16:51): It is a pleasure to rise and have an opportunity to speak about this budget from this year and what it means for the Bellarine electorate. As a fairly new member to this place, being elected in 2022, this is the second budget that I have experienced in this place, and it really is a privilege to represent the Bellarine electorate. Not only is it beautiful in its landscape – it is a beautiful area – but it has a really strong sense of community as well, so it is a privilege to do this role. In doing this role I work extremely hard every day, whether it is meeting constituents, stakeholders or community groups to understand the work that they are doing or assisting people with many of their state issues. It is a real privilege. I meet many members of the community who are also big advocates for their work and for their passions and the projects they are undertaking, all for the betterment of our community. I am really fortunate and appreciative of the level of engagement that the Bellarine community constituents have with me – they understand their towns, they understand their priorities and what is important to them.

In doing this role I confidently say that this government and previous Labor governments have invested heavily into the Bellarine electorate, but when you are in government you realise and know that there is always more to do. That is what budgets do. They not only direct funds to projects but also demonstrate our values and our priorities. Being a regional MP, though, it is really important to me that our economy works in our regions. In the Bellarine we have a really strong tourism and visitor economy, and our Victorian regional unemployment rate does remain still below the national average, which is an incredible achievement, at a low 3.7 per cent, and Geelong is at 3.5 per cent. In the nearly 10 years since the Labor government was elected, over $45 billion has been directly invested into regional Victoria, an average of $4.5 billion a year. In the four years prior to that, only $7.2 billion was invested – that is only $1.8 billion per year, and I think that is a stark contrast that we can see. We do invest heavily in our regions.

Visitor expenditure in Victoria also hit a record high of $37.8 billion in the year ending in December 2023, and thanks to that strong investment in our economy and our major events calendar, events in Geelong and the Bellarine are also particularly strong. We are booming, with around $13.2 billion in major projects completed or underway or in the pipeline. It is absolutely incredible, the things that are happening in the Geelong region. The member for Narracan was talking about cranes. We have plenty of cranes in the sky, particularly the one at the convention centre at the moment for an absolutely terrific project that is underway in Geelong. It is going to see a real benefit to our region.

This budget has been really important for the Bellarine electorate as well, and there are a couple of projects I would like to highlight in particular that were earmarked in this last budget. One of them was a community farm called Farm My School that is at an old soccer pitch at Bellarine Secondary College. They have turned an old soccer pitch into a working farm – it is absolutely incredible. They are growing their own food and produce, they have a vineyard and they are wanting to do an orchard soon, and they are not only using that food to feed the Bellarine community – you can get veggie boxes delivered to your door or pick up a veggie box – but also using it in the canteen and in their food technology space at the school. What is really exciting about that project is that it is giving opportunities for students to learn horticultural and farming practices and have a pathway to a career maybe in that field. I have had the Treasurer visit; I have had Premier visit recently as well to see that amazing work that they are doing. They are creating a really diverse opportunity for students.

In another really exciting project at that site they have Deakin University now looking at the link between growing food and actually getting your hands dirty – so students getting into the dirt and growing the food – and what that means for what they call biomes, which is your gut health. They are eating the food that they grow, and they are going to look at the link between that and anxiety and depression and general mental health and wellbeing. It is a really exciting project. I look forward to seeing what the results show. Already early research is showing you are what you eat – we know that, but it is showing that link between your gut health and your mental health. So that will be an exciting project happening at Farm My School, which we proudly had investment for in this last budget.

Speaking of keeping active and healthy, this budget is also investing $6 million to extend our Get Active Kids vouchers, and that is the voucher that helps eligible families with the costs of sporting club rego, uniforms and equipment to participate in sport in their local communities. It is a fantastic initiative that really stops any barriers to families and children participating in sport. I know it makes a huge difference to families of the Bellarine. Particularly I know uniforms, boots and equipment can be expensive, and it is really important that we remove those barriers for families.

Another exciting project that was in this last budget was funding to support the Portarlington ferry service, and that is a service that is from Portarlington over to Docklands. It is an absolutely incredible link that we have from the Bellarine, not only for those local commuters that like to travel to work from Portarlington to Melbourne, but it also really supports the tourism and the regional jobs that we have on the Bellarine. So many tourists come from Melbourne over to the Bellarine to experience our wineries, beaches, distilleries, cafes, food and shopping, and it is an absolutely convenient and very pleasurable alternative way to visit our electorate. I was really pleased to see further funding in the budget for the Portarlington ferry. It is important to our local economy.

We have continued to also support food relief across our state and particularly for the Geelong and Bellarine region. We know that the cost of living is really an issue for families at the moment, and we should not have people worrying about putting food on their table, and that is why we have invested in supporting organisations that deliver food relief. Funding will be distributed to six of the regional food hubs, and that includes the Geelong region. I am really excited also to see that additional funding of $2.5 million for neighbourhood houses and $2 million to invest into organisations at a local level, and they will be able to apply for grants to support the food relief that they are delivering. I often speak to an organisation called Feed Me Bellarine that assists families in my electorate with food relief, and they are very excited to be able to apply for this type of funding and receive support for the good work that they do across the Bellarine.

This budget particularly is really important for the Bellarine. It is only one budget that I speak about today, but it is about building on previous budgets that really show our values and show the important agenda that this Allan Labor government has set for this state. I am really proud to be able to represent the Bellarine and support our communities.

The SPEAKER: Order! The time set down for consideration of the remaining items on the government business program has arrived, and I am required to interrupt business. The member will have the call when the house returns to this debate.