2023-05-23
The Victorian Greens have said everyday Victorians who are already struggling will be worse off under the state budget.
Despite the cost-of-living being at an all-time high and housing affordability forcing many Victorians into housing stress or homelessness, the Budget will see:
- Thousands of public sector job cuts.
- Four times more spending on the racing industry than on people in housing stress or experiencing homelessness.
- Absolutely nothing for renters.
And despite the welcome move to bring forward the transition out of native forest logging, $2 billion dollars of cuts to the environment department and programs will leave the environment in a perilous state.
Victorian Greens treasury spokesperson, Sam Hibbins, said instead of helping, the Victorian Labor Government was hurting workers and people in need.
Mr Hibbins called today’s state budget a failure to address the urgent crises facing Victorians, and said that as a result, they would only get worse.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens treasury spokesperson, Sam Hibbins MP:
“Everyday Victorians who are already struggling will be worse off because of this budget.
“The Government needed to tackle the urgent crises facing Victorians but chose not to. Instead of helping, they’re hurting workers and people in need.
“Renters around the state are one rent rise away from homelessness, and yet there’s nothing in this budget for them.
“Our state continues to face climate disasters, putting critical habitat and the species that live in them at risk, yet this budget is cutting $2 billion dollars from the environment department.
“The cost-of-living is through the roof right now, and yet this budget will see thousands of jobs axed.”
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam MLC:
“Labor has failed to fix the state’s revenue problems in this budget.
“Short-term measures won’t fix the housing crisis. In fact, this Labor Government is funnelling four times more into the racing industry than new spending on people in housing stress or experiencing homelessness.
“Budgets are about priorities and with this budget it’s clear Labor has its priorities wrong.”