Details of the 2017-18 State Budget have been released

The 2017-18 state budget has been released.

A $1.9b family violence prevention measure is the centrepiece, with 17 support and safety hubs to be established.

There will be more after-hours crisis support, counselling, and an upgrade of IT systems to improve information sharing through with agencies.

It will be paid for through $1.3b in savings from the public service.

But Treasurer Tim Pallas insists it will not affect frontline services.

An average 66,000 people are expected to move to Victoria over the forward estimates which is driving strong population growth.

But unemployment is tipped to drop to 5.5 per cent.

$10b is being invested in infrastructure which is contributing to rising net debt of 5.8 per cent.

Despite this, the budget remains in surplus worth $8.3b over four years.

 

INTERVIEW: Premier Daniel Andrews spoke with Tom Elliott
 

FULL BREAKDOWN

Family Violence:

– $1.9b to implement every recommendation from the Royal Commission into Family Violence

– $448.1m to establish 17 Support and Safety Hubs

– $130.3m to implement five specialist Family Violence Courts

– $133.2m on housing support for victims of family violence

– $38.4m to train hospital staff across the state to identify and support victims of family violence.

 

Law and Order:

– $2b for community safety statement, includes 2700 police and new technology

– $308m for post sentence supervision of serious violent offenders

– $360.7m to strengthen youth justice precincts in Parkville and Malmsbury and build a new high security youth justice centre

– $89.2m to update IT systems at the Children’s and Magistrates’ Court

 

Housing:

– Stamp duty abolished for first home buyers under $600,000

– First home buyers grant increased from $10,000 to $20,000 for regional homes

– 1% tax on vacant homes in inner and middle suburbs

– $50m shared ownership scheme which will see the government co-purchase 400 homes

 

Roads:

– $100m to plan for the North East Link

– $700m to complete final three sections of upgraded M80

 

Education:

– $269.6m to build new schools

– $239.6m for school upgrades

– $50.7m  for ‘Turnaround Teams’ to be deployed to underperforming schools

 

Public Transport:

– $193m over 4 years to make Night Network permanent

– $846m brought forward to remove 8 more level crossings

– $1.45b for Regional Rail Revival (this is reliant on the Federal Government agreeing to it)

– $67m for rail safety upgrades

 

Health:

– $63m for Monash Emergency Department to create dedicated children’s area

– $15m to respond to major health events like Thunderstorm Asthma

– $81m to tackle ICE and drug addiction includes new rehab beds, counselling and plans to build new regional facilities

– $26.5m to improve ambulance response times

– $174m for elective surgery blitz

 

Taxes and costs:

– Stamp duty exemptions for families transferring ownership of investment properties scrapped

– Reduce payroll tax by 25 per cent in regional Victoria

– Payroll tax-free threshold will increase to $625 thousand as of 1 July this year and to $650 thousand from 1 July 2018

– Land tax to be calculated annually rather that every 2 years

– Vehicle duty for new cars to be increased

 

Compiled by Lauren Hilbert and Ashleigh Gardiner