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Victorian Budget 2025-2026

On Tuesday, 20 May 2025 the Victorian Treasurer, the Hon. Jaclyn Symes MLC, handed down her first Budget as Treasurer.

With an acute and vested interest in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula, the Committee is pleased this year's budget will deliver the following:

  • We are pleased that operational funding for the Mornington to Hastings Cross-Peninsula bus service will be delivered. This initiative aligns with our priority pillar 'Better connectivity; better infrastructure'. Specifically, the Committee has called on the Victorian Government to deliver better bus connections across the peninsula which connect townships to activity centres. 
  • We are also pleased there is ongoing funding for the vital work being undertaken at the Port of Hastings to establish the Port as the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal. This is an important initiative and a project we will continue to support loudly as the peak advocacy body for our region.
  • Additionally, the Committee joins with the Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board in welcoming the $11 million in core funding for Regional Tourism Boards over the next two years. This will enable the MPRTB to deliver initiatives which will enhance the sustainability of tourism in our region.
  • We also note that the $1.1 billion redeveloped Frankston Hospital is nearing completion and expected to open in January 2026. This will deliver improved health outcomes for our Frankston and Mornington Peninsula communities.

However, we are disappointed that there is no funding in the Victorian Budget for the following initiatives:

  • The redevelopment of Rosebud Hospital.
  • Improvements to the Stony Point train line.

In fact, there is very little in this year's budget for the peninsula across infrastructure, connectivity, education, and taxation.

While the new bus route between Mornington and Hastings is very welcome, more action is required to overhaul the local bus network.

This Budget provides funding to review the bus network capability for Greater Geelong and other similar regions across Victoria. We believe our bus network needs drastic improvements to connect residents to activity centres for health services, education facilities, employment opportunities, and tourist destinations. As such, funding should be made available in next year's budget for a bus network review of our region.

"While expectations for our region in this budget were pretty low, we believe this is yet another missed opportunity by the State Government to make meaningful investment in our region", said Committee CEO, Josh Sinclair.

"The Government's priorities clearly point towards a lot of infrastructure funding being eaten up by projects like Suburban Rail Loop in inner city Melbourne. Unfortunately this means local projects - which are in dire need of upgrading or redevelopment - will continue to miss out on funding."

"With a Victorian State Election to be held at the end of next year, the Committee will work hard to advocate for key projects that require Victorian Government support and funding."

"We will do this by meeting with both sides of politics, including our local Member's of Parliament and Ministers and Shadow Ministers between now and November next year."