Transport – VCOSS https://vcoss.org.au Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:16:10 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://vcoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cropped-Favicon-2-32x32.png Transport – VCOSS https://vcoss.org.au 32 32 Fuel costs: have your voice heard https://vcoss.org.au/transport/2026/03/fuel-costs-have-your-voice-heard/ Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:36:59 +0000 https://vcoss.org.au/?p=61438

Fuel costs: have your voice heard

MEMBER ADVOCACY

With the impact of fuel supply pressures from the war in the Middle East being felt across our communities, VCOSS wants to hear directly from our members about the emerging impacts on vulnerable households and frontline services in Victoria.

We know the conflict is contributing to rising cost-of-living pressures, increased demand for emergency relief and food security supports, and heightened stress across communities.

VCOSS is gathering stories, data and frontline insights from community service organisations to inform our sector intelligence and advice to government.

Your experiences and data — especially from regional areas — will directly inform VCOSS’ advocacy to the State Government as we work to secure urgent responses that relieve pressure on low income households and strengthen the capacity of the community sector.

We need to hear from you to ensure that our work is grounded in and represents the diversity of community organisations — large and small, metro and regional — and leverages examples of what is emerging on the ground, the pressures you are facing and the supports you have identified as necessary now and in the months ahead.

For VCOSS members: please fill out this short survey to tell VCOSS about the issues your community and/or organisation are facing.

You can remain anonymous if you choose.

You can also reach out to us directly about how fuel pressures are impacting you and your community: email Rory.Anderson@vcoss.org.au, Policy Advisor, Energy and Cost of Living.

Together, we are stronger.

VCOSS is the peak body for Victoria’s social and community sector, and the state’s premier social advocacy body.

We work towards a Victoria free from poverty and disadvantage, where every person and community experiences genuine wellbeing.

Read more.

AUTHOR

VCOSS

VCOSS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country, and we pay respect to Elders and Ancestors. Our business is conducted on sovereign, unceded Aboriginal land. The VCOSS offices are located on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land in central Naarm.

]]> 2026 Victorian Budget Submission https://vcoss.org.au/budget/2025/12/2026-victorian-budget-submission/ Sun, 14 Dec 2025 20:20:34 +0000 https://vcoss.org.au/?p=60882

2026 Victorian Budget Submission

Tough times are exactly when we must invest in what matters most.

When things are hard, it’s tempting to tighten our belts and batten down the hatches.

But that’s not how you build a strong, safe, thriving Victoria.

Every Budget tells a story about the state of our State — what we value, what we fear, and what we’re willing to walk past.

Right now, Victoria’s story sits against a backdrop of growing economic inequity and social fragmentation – fuelled by the realities of rising cost of living, the housing crisis, community safety concerns, reverberations of international conflicts and intensifying climate impacts. Our social and economic fabric is under real strain.    

Meanwhile, the public purse is under pressure. There’s lots of talk about debt, budget repair, fiscal austerity and ‘efficiencies’.

In this context, some might say that now is not the time to invest in tackling root causes of entrenched problems like housing insecurity, family violence, climate-related impacts, social cohesion or the sharp edge of poverty. Some might say that’s in the ‘too-hard basket.’

They’d be wrong.

Now is precisely the time for smart investments that prevent social and economic problems from escalating and compounding, or ideally from starting in the first place.

With the political will to prioritise what matters most, we can break vicious cycles of crisis-end spending, avoiding long-term costs through prevention and early intervention.

By investing in what will pay off in the long run, Victorians can have secure housing, good healthcare, and genuine safety and security in their families and communities.

And critical to this is Victoria’s community sector – the fastest growing industry in the State, whose workforce shows up every day for people doing it tough.

Community services are operating under immense pressure, with rising demand, a changing regulatory landscape and a highly feminised workforce carrying the emotional load of the state’s most difficult and complex social issues.

No austerity agenda can fix entrenched problems like housing insecurity, family violence, social cohesion or the sharp edge of poverty.

Our sector deserves respect, fair funding and industry development support to meet the challenges of our times and keep doing what Victorians rely on. 

If we want a stronger, safer, fairer Victoria, we must invest across the whole spectrum of support – from crisis response to long-term recovery – but especially in the early intervention and prevention efforts that stop harm before it takes root. And we must invest in a skilled, flourishing, future-focused community sector that delivers across that spectrum of support.

That is how we stabilise our communities.

That is how we strengthen our economy.

And that is how ensure the things that matter most are never pushed into the too-hard basket.

Juanita Pope
VCOSS CEO

VCOSS is the peak body for Victoria’s social and community sector, and the state’s premier social advocacy body. We work towards a Victoria free from poverty and disadvantage, where every person and community experiences genuine wellbeing. Read more.

We welcome the opportunity to provide this input.

This work is authorised by VCOSS CEO Juanita Pope.

PRIMARY AUTHOR

VCOSS

VCOSS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country, and we pay respect to Elders and Ancestors. Our business is conducted on sovereign, unceded Aboriginal land. The VCOSS offices are located on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land in central Naarm.

]]> 2025 Victorian Budget Submission https://vcoss.org.au/budget/2024/12/2025-victorian-budget-submission/ Tue, 24 Dec 2024 04:19:31 +0000 https://vcoss.org.au/?p=59305

2025 Victorian Budget Submission

People are hurting. It’s time for a budget focused on care – and the care economy.

A note from VCOSS CEO Juanita Pope

In a time of constrained fiscal conditions and mounting social disunity, there’s one thing most of our state – indeed our country – can agree on: people are hurting.

The current cost of living is placing immense strain on Victorians. Many people are being pushed to the brink, an increasing number skipping meals just to pay the rent.
This is not a new phenomenon – it’s just more visible. Well before the cost-of-living crisis became a media talking point, 800,000 Victorians were living in poverty. The current situation is symptomatic of deep rooted social and economic inequality.

Now is the time for strong, compassionate, smart responses from government. And bold action on poverty and economic exclusion.

Governments make choices about how public funds will be spent. That’s what budgets are for. The choices that government makes – who it chooses to invest in – send a powerful message, especially to people who need support. If decisions are made that prioritise commercial interests over the wellbeing of people, this is not only socially and morally unsound, it’s economically shortsighted.

A truly prosperous economy is one that enables all citizens to thrive – that lifts them up when they are down. It’s an economy underpinned by robust, holistic foundational supports – things like housing, healthcare, good schooling, childcare, community connections and the skills to get a decent job and lead a fulfilling life.

Investing in these foundations – and in the services that provide them – is key to Victoria’s economic and social prosperity. Drip-fed, short term, siloed support will not cut it.

In 2025, Victoria needs a budget that values care and focuses on the care economy. When we invest in care and wellbeing, we unlock the potential for a more resilient, inclusive economy.

The organisations that deliver care and social supports for Australians – including health and human services, children’s early education and community development – represent the largest employing industry in the country. They offer enormous potential for economic and social returns.

As more Victorians turn to care services in hard times, Victoria should invest in the sector that has caring at its core. Investing in the care economy not only generates real jobs, but also builds a solid social foundation – both for Victorians who are hurting right now, and for future generations.

When we invest in care and wellbeing, we unlock the potential for a more resilient, inclusive economy.

Victoria’s investment in the care economy must be approached strategically. We need to ensure support for the workers who make the industry successful and sustainable. Boosted resources for workforce development, core operations and care infrastructure will ensure that the care economy remains a stable, sustainable driver of good jobs, social wellbeing and economic growth. This allows us to tackle both immediate needs and long-term challenges, like the ageing population and the escalating impacts of climate change.

It’s about priorities.

Compassionate and smart policy-making puts social equity and human wellbeing as its central tenets.

It’s time for leaders to return to the basics: alleviate poverty, provide essential services, help people and invest in care that works.

Only when we prioritise these fundamental pillars will we achieve an inclusive, sustainable economy that our society desperately needs.

Juanita Pope
VCOSS CEO

VCOSS is the peak body for Victoria’s social and community sector, and the state’s premier social advocacy body. We work towards a Victoria free from poverty and disadvantage, where every person and community experiences genuine wellbeing. Read more.

We welcome the opportunity to provide this input.

This work is authorised by VCOSS CEO Juanita Pope.

PRIMARY AUTHOR

VCOSS

VCOSS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country, and we pay respect to Elders and Ancestors. Our business is conducted on sovereign, unceded Aboriginal land. The VCOSS offices are located on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land in central Naarm.

]]> Next stop: Stronger Standards https://vcoss.org.au/disability-aging-carers/2023/07/stronger-standards/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 03:11:10 +0000 https://vcoss.org.au/?p=53682

Next stop: Stronger Standards

Submission to the 2022 Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 

The Transport Standards set out requirements for public transport operators and providers to remove discrimination from public transport services. Public transport operations and providers must comply with the Standards which are legally binding under the Disability Discrimination Act.  

Whilst the Standards are reviewed every five years, and this is welcome, VCOSS does not believe the process is sufficiently robust. That’s because, from the perspective of community sector stakeholders, it is difficult to gauge how effective the Standards are when the systemic underpinnings (monitoring of compliance, a culture of accountability and the application of learning to support continuous quality improvement) are weak.  

The Standards don’t provide a clear benchmark against which stakeholders can confidently assess performance.

For example, at a systemic level, it is hard to get an accurate and holistic picture of all the levels of accessibility and barriers that exist, because we don’t have line of sight to clear data on operator/provider compliance. It is also still unclear how many parts of the system have been audited. For those parts that have been audited, the results are not often shared with the public, making it difficult to know whether issues are due to a failure to meet the standards or inadequate standards themselvesi.  

VCOSS is also concerned that the Standards lack tangible or specific powers to enforce compliance. This is problematic as, without this, there are no real incentives for operators and providers to comply with the Transport Standards. We know this often results in compliance audits being insufficiently done or not completed at all.  

VCOSS recommends compliance with the standards should be monitored and enforced, with the results publicly made available. This would provide transparency and greater accountability for services and infrastructure to meet the legal requirementsii.  

To ascertain the effectiveness of the Standards, VCOSS recommends a system-wide accessibility audit to be undertaken by the Victorian Government.  This would allow the state to identify gaps and highlight areas of strength, providing a basis for planning, reviewing progress, and exploring whether the Transport Standards have had any meaningful impact.  

VCOSS is the peak body for Victoria’s social and community sector, and the state’s premier social advocacy body.

We work towards a Victoria free from poverty and disadvantage, where every person and community experiences genuine wellbeing. Read more.

We welcome the opportunity to provide this input.

PRIMARY AUTHOR

Radhika Rego

.

Improvements to the complaint process are urgently needed – visibility and access are poor 

VCOSS members note that the complaints process, as it stands currently, is a complex, tedious, and often expensive process.  

During the 2021-22 financial year, the Public Transport Ombudsman received a 10% increase in complaintsiii. Complaints about accessibility specifically also rose (82, up from 35 in the 2020-21 financial year)iv. However, given people are often reluctant to complain or do not know where to go, the true figure is likely much greater.  

VCOSS members have noted the time-consuming nature of the complaints process, with some cases taking up to three years to be resolved.  

This review presents an opportunity for reform. A stronger, more equitable complaints process should be developed, and it should include the following elements: 

  • Accessible baseline information about the Standards – presently, the Disability Standards are not easy to find and access. This makes it difficult for people with disabilities to know what their rights are. It also creates uncertainty for prospective complainants to know if they have grounds. This needs to be remedied. It is critical that people with disabilities are aware of the Transport Standards and who is responsible for making journeys more accessible on public transport.  
  • Greater accessibility of the complaints process – the opportunity to make complaints (or provide feedback more generally) should be more visible, more accessible to people with disabilities (including those with complex communication needs) and easier all-round.   
  • Options should be available to make ‘private’ complaints whereby a person with disability is able to lodge a complaint without providing identifying personal information and/or can provide this information when making the complaint but under the proviso that it is not shared publicly. This would remove barriers to engagement for people with disabilities who are victim survivors of discrimination, neglect, abuse or exploitation, have low levels of trust in institutions, and may experience fear of making a complaint that publicly identifies them.  
  • A process for ‘closing the loop’ on communication should be developed. This would allow the complainant to receive regular feedback and updates on the progress of their complaint, allowing for stronger accountability for transport operators and providers and a more empowered experience overall for people with disabilities.  

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Barriers continue to exist across the transport network

Accessible transport and accessible journeys allow people with disabilities the ability to participate fully in their lives by connecting and engaging with work, education, healthcare, and their communities.  Despite this, in Victoria, most of the transport network remains inadequate and inaccessible to meet the needs of people with disabilities in metropolitan, regional, and rural areas.  

Victoria remains a long way from meeting its legislated requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act (1992), which requires all infrastructure to be fully compliant with the Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (DSAPT) by 31 December 2022.   

In an online survey conducted by VCOSS member DRC Advocacy, 67 per cent of people with disability said transport barriers meant they missed out on doing things they would like to do.v 

Over the last year, VCOSS has embarked on two state-wide listening tours across Victoria to listen to people’s experiences of the pandemic. We wanted to understand how people were feeling two years into the pandemic and what support they needed to recover and live a good life.   

Wherever we went across the state, people with disability spoke about the desperate need they have for more accessible transport. 

“Lack of accessible trams is really problematic for people with disabilities.” 

community member, northcote

Many of the problems were related to infrastructure rather than services: the right trains and trams might be there, but people can’t use them without accessible platforms. 

“I’m a train user and I find the distance between the train and the platform… We need a handle on the outside of the train or just on the inside. The gaps are like this [indicating with hands], the steps are too deep and too wide.”  

Community member, Northcote 

There also remain issues with access to information. Many people with acquired brain injury told us they struggle to understand the Victorian public transport app, which should be an informational service accessible to everyone. We’ve heard from VCOSS members that information on timetables, apps and websites is rarely presented in an accessible manner. With the move towards most information being hosted on digital platforms such as apps or websites, it is essential to consider and respond to the needs of people who remain ‘digitally excluded’ because they don’t have data or personal devices to connect to the internet, or have low levels of literacy, are not proficient in English or face other barriers to accessing, navigation and understanding information online.  

Additionally, VCOSS members note a need for further improvements in: 

  • Help for people get on and off ramps. 
  • Making sure temperature, lighting and bathrooms in public transport facilities are appropriate.  
  • Reducing discriminatory attitudes of customer service and transport operator workers.  
  • Awareness of the rules relating to and acceptance of service animals in taxis and rideshare services.  

These barriers to public transport access and use highlight the important role community transport plays in filling existing gaps.  

Community Transport providers support people with disabilities and older people to ‘live their lives’, driving them to medical appointments, shops for essential supplies and important mainstream services.  

Community Transport is a critical service, especially for those people who live in areas not serviced by public transport, taxis or rideshare services. VCOSS continues to advocate for greater government investment in community transport, to strengthen the viability and reach of these services. However, we note that, if our public transport system was genuinely non-discriminatory and fully accessible, the pressure on these over-stretched volunteer-resourced services would be significantly reduced. 

.

The Transport Standards should include rideshare and school bus services 

Given they provide public transport services, VCOSS’s position is that the Transport Standards should be amended to explicitly include rideshare and school bus services, both of which are currently exempt. Rideshare and school bus owners and operators should be held responsible for complying with the Standards.  

We also note that the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and National Inclusive Transport Network (NITAN) are also advocating for air travel to be included (in addition to rideshare and school bus transport). 

VCOSS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country, and we pay respect to Elders and Ancestors. Our business is conducted on sovereign, unceded Aboriginal land. The VCOSS offices are located on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land in central Naarm.

]]> Inclusive communities https://vcoss.org.au/budget/2021/05/inclusive-communities/ Mon, 31 May 2021 01:22:33 +0000 https://vcoss.org.au/?p=39576 Significant initiatives
  • Support for Victoria’s LGBTIQ+ community
    $45.4m in 2021-22 to celebrate and support the LGBTIQ+ community, including $21.3m for mental health and wellbeing services for trans and gender diverse young people, $2.4m for Victoria’s Healthy Equal Youth project, $8.8m for wellbeing services and $9m to support community organisations and peak bodies to help LGBTIQ+ Victorians navigate vital services.

 

  • Increased funding for disability advocacy support
    Funding for the Office for Disability has been increased by 16.7% to $15.6m for 2021-22, which will support the development of the State Disability Plan and deliver a $1.7m boost to disability advocacy services.

 

  • Support to build inclusive and safe communities for Victorians with disability
    As part of a $9.2m package over 4 years, funding is provided for communications, preparedness and response to emergencies and disasters and Disability Liaison Officers in health services. $9.1m in 2021-22 ($29.3m/4 yrs) is also provided to support Working with Children Check and National Disability Insurance Scheme worker screening. 

 

  • Building better connected communities
    $1.8m in 2021-22 ($3m/4 yrs) funding is provided to continue the Australian Red Cross hotline to support people feeling disconnected or lonely to engage with their local communities, to deliver a reimagined Seniors Festival, and to continue the Justice Connect not-for-profit law program.

 

  • Public transport infrastructure, accessibility and amenity upgrades
    In addition to an investment of $986m in 2021-22 to build a fleet of 25 more accessible, reliable and energy efficient trains and related infrastructure, and $368m in 2021-22 to deliver enabling infrastructure for Next Generation Trams, the Budget commits $7.3m in 2021-22 ($9.9m/2 yrs) to improve public transport accessibility through a new strategy and a range of design and access improvements, including level-access upgrades to seven tram stop pairs aligned to the Metro Tunnel network. 

 

Analysis

The Budget commits funding to a range of initiatives focused on improving access, inclusion and support for Victorians who experience additional barriers, discrimination and disadvantage. COVID-19 exacerbated the issues and challenges faced by many Victorians, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, older people, people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ community, carers and support networks.

Lessons learnt through the pandemic – including the importance of partnering with and working alongside communities – have informed the delivery of further funding for continued and enhanced community engagement activities with residents of the North Melbourne and Flemington public housing towers, an expansion of the prevention and preparedness work of the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities Taskforce, and accessible emergency communications and preparedness support for people with disability.

 

Support for culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians

Multicultural communities were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the associated economic downturn and increased racism. Continued and new funding in the Budget to support multicultural Victorians is welcomed.

 

 

The Budget includes a focus on newly-arrived people, with $8.7 million over four years to improve settlement outcomes for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Through the funding, the capacity of programs delivering legal support, case management, and information on employment protections will be extended. The funding will also increase the capacity of Regional Community Hubs to improve services for new migrants, refugees and asylum seekers across Victoria. $3.8 million in 2021-22 is provided for continued health supports for people seeking asylum who are ineligible for Medicare and income support, including nurse and GP care, mental health programs, assistance with food, medication and utilities, homelessness programs and case coordination.

Funding is provided to support multicultural communities to build employment skills and improve access to services. Targeted economic security programs to support migrant and refugee women into employment and the Asylum Seeker VET program, providing eligible asylum seekers with access to subsidised training, are both funded. The Budget also commits $4.1 million over two years for jobs and stimulus initiatives for Victoria’s multicultural communities. The package supports the development of a cross-government bicultural worker strategy, focused on recruiting and supporting bicultural workers to assist diverse communities to navigate government services.

Racism is not new, but it is entrenched and persistent. A three-year funding package to tackle racism in Victoria is welcomed. The $1.5 million package will support the implementation of communication, community engagement and training initiatives to reduce vilification and hate-based conduct. These initiatives are part of the Government’s response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Vilification Protections. Multicultural festivals, events and seniors’ groups will also have access to funding to celebrate and promote diversity, foster social cohesion and support community connections.

 

Advancing the rights, safety and wellbeing of older Victorians

The Budget makes a range of commitments to improve the quality of life, safety and wellbeing of older Victorians. The recently released recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care provide policy and program directions for all jurisdictions to better support older people living in residential care. The Budget provides an additional $28.8 million in 2021-22 to meet nurse-to-patient ratios in public sector residential aged care, and a further $1 million in 2021-22 to continue the work of Elder Abuse Prevention Networks and strengthen elder abuse identification and response in public health services.

Funding of $65 million over four years is allocated to rebuild the Glenview Community Care aged care facility in Rutherglen and to undertake detailed planning and design work for the future redevelopment of the Camperdown and Cohuna public sector aged care facilities. Close to $76 million will support ongoing infrastructure works for public sector residential aged care services in Cheltenham, Kew and Wantirna, and regional and rural facilities renewal.

The isolating impacts of the pandemic are unfortunately far from over for those who cannot risk returning to face-to-face social and community activities, particularly older Victorians and people with health conditions. We welcome continued funding for a hotline operated by the Australian Red Cross to provide emotional support and to help people connect and engage with their local community. Continued funding in 2021-22 of $2.5 million for the Victoria Together online platform, which shares a range of creative content and virtual experiences, and $400,000 for a reimagined Seniors Festival to provide outreach to isolated older people in aged care facilities through online, video and radio-based entertainment, will also support people to access and enjoy social interactions, arts and cultural experiences.

 

Promoting and realising the rights of people with disability

While the Victorian Government’s role as a disability support provider and funder has changed substantially through the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the state’s vital and ongoing responsibility for delivering inclusive and responsive mainstream services and civic spaces, and in eliminating systemic disadvantage and inequity, remains unchanged. This includes, but is not limited to, child and family services, housing, health, education and training, employment, emergency management and response, justice, and transport.

The Budget includes funding for targeted initiatives, including $1.4 million for accessible communications before, during and after emergencies and disasters, $6.1 million for Disability Liaison Officers in health settings to improve access to services, continued funding for the Impact21 Program to support employment pathways for people with an intellectual disability, and $3.9 million over four years for a team to support young people with disability who have matters before the Children’s Court. A range of measures to support inclusion in education also received funding, as detailed in our Education analysis.

Funding for quality and safeguarding measures is provided in the Budget, including additional funding for regulators and complaints handling bodies like the Victorian Disability Worker Regulation Scheme and the Disability Services Commissioner, for workforce screening, and for advocacy services to promote the rights and voices of people with disability.

Disability advocacy has been consistently recognised by inquiries as an important safeguard to help prevent and report abuse, particularly for people who are afraid or unable to have their voices heard. The disability advocacy sector is struggling with the weight of demand associated with the NDIS, and COVID-19 has put additional pressure on services. While more is needed to reduce waiting lists and improve the sustainability of the sector, this Budget boost is nonetheless welcome. We look forward to additional detail about how funding will be directed to increase the coverage, reach and access to disability advocacy and self-advocacy support.

 

Supporting and celebrating Victoria’s LGBTIQ+ community

The Budget makes a range of commitments to deliver improved support for Victoria’s LGBTIQ+ community. $8.8 million is provided for mental health supports, including $6.4 million to expand the Rainbow Door program to support people who identify as LGBTIQ+ to access and navigate the mental health and wellbeing system, and $2.4 million to continue the Healthy Equal Youth project to support young LGBTIQ+ Victorians. A further $4.6 million is provided for the development of a diverse communities’ mental health and wellbeing framework and blueprint for action.

The Budget includes $21.3 million to support the mental health of trans and gender diverse young people through the Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash Health’s Gender Clinics. An additional $9 million is provided to support community organisations and peak bodies to help LGBTIQ+ Victorians navigate vital services. Specialist legal services for the LGBTIQ+ community are also funded as part of a $31.1 million, four-year package for legal assistance and critical early intervention support services.

Funding is provided to continue the LGBTIQ+ organisation grants program and the LGBTIQ+ Leadership Program, and $1 million for Melbourne Pride 2021, a major one-off event to celebrate and support LGBTIQ+ communities. Melbourne Pride 2021 will mark the 40-year anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality by the Victorian Parliament.

The first ever Victorian LGBTIQ+ Strategy is currently in development and will guide the Victorian Government’s efforts to achieve equality for LGBTIQ+ communities over the next decade. We look forward to the next phases of this Strategy and the priority areas for change it will progress.

 

Caring for carers

Over 730,000 Victorians care for someone with a disability, mental illness, terminal illness, chronic illness, or an older person with care needs. The Budget provides funding to assist carers and support those they care for.

A $93 million, four-year package will support families and carers of people with mental illness through the establishment of eight family and carer-led centres across Victoria and increased funding for the Carer Support Fund, Tandem and its carer participation registers. The Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness (FaPMI) program will be expanded, and funding will be provided to co-design and expand supports for young carers.

 

Funding is provided to improve supports available to young carers and strengthen referral pathways across mental health and wellbeing and education systems. Other initiatives that will support carers to learn, upskill, work and maintain their health and wellbeing are also welcome. As the implementation of the Victorian Carer Strategy 2018-22 reaches its latter stages, we look forward to hearing more about how priority actions of the Strategy will continue to be pursued.

 
Community and social participation

Supporting Victorians to access and take part in social and community life is crucial to wellbeing. We welcome funding provided for the continued delivery of Reclink’s ActiVIC program, which supports diversity and inclusion by providing more equitable access to sport and active recreation for people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations people and people experiencing financial hardship. In addition to the public transport infrastructure investments outlined above, funding is provided to continue the Multi-Purpose Taxi Program lifting fee and wheelchair accessible vehicle subsidy, which aims to incentivise the supply of wheelchair-accessible vehicles and services for people with mobility needs.

Further investments should be targeted towards making public and community spaces accessible and inclusive for people with disability, older people and people with mobility or health conditions. The Budget’s modest $2.5 million investment in Changing Places accessible public toilets is positive, but only one piece of the puzzle. Infrastructure Victoria’s Draft 30-year Strategy recommended the immediate establishment of an accessibility upgrade fund for priority public building upgrades. Funding accessibility upgrades for public places would be a win-win for Victorians, businesses and the building sector alike. In addition, community participation and independence should be supported through the provision of additional resources for aids and equipment programs that support the independence and mobility of older people and people with disability who are ineligible for the NDIS. 

 

]]> Draft 30-Year Infrastructure Strategy https://vcoss.org.au/housing-and-homelessness/2021/03/draft-30-year/ Fri, 05 Mar 2021 00:13:00 +0000 https://vcoss.test/?p=37684 VCOSS welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft 30-Year Strategy. It is a thoughtful and comprehensive plan, with a welcome focus on addressing the infrastructure needs of vulnerable Victorians, and reducing inequities between population groups and geographic areas.

VCOSS welcomes the equity focus in the draft Strategy. Too often infrastructure development has focused on narrow economic benefits and ignored the potential to develop a fairer Victoria. Many recommendations multiple benefits of upgrading and building needed infrastructure, stimulating economic growth, and also progressing social benefits of accessibility, social connection and thriving local communities.

VCOSS has provided some comment on a limited number of the many recommendations in the draft Strategy. We welcome further conversations and engagement with the community sector about progressing these recommendations.

An infrastructure plan for the community sector

VCOSS strongly supports the call for a long-term infrastructure plan for social housing and the social services sector (recommendation 32),which should be co-designed with the community sector and local communities themselves. The community sector has often been left out of infrastructure programs or forced to compete with other sectors, like hospitals, for scarce infrastructure funds.

Past infrastructure spending has been inadequate to meet growing demand for community services. For example, in the past, the Aboriginal community controlled sector has estimated an infrastructure need of nearly $120 million across Victorian Aboriginal community controlled health services. 

Increased certainty would help the community sector plan for service growth and develop innovative new programs that benefit communities. Building design can also help make services safer for clients and workers.  

Investment in community services is win-win. It helps meet the needs of growing communities, as well as generating ongoing employment opportunities across the state, including in growth areas and regional Victoria.

The draft Strategy can consider how to make sure that employment benefits generated by this infrastructure spending flow to those most in need, or often locked out of employment opportunities. Nominating specific targets for vulnerable cohorts would help ensure that as many people as possible benefit from the ambitious strategy.

For example, as part of the Victorian Government’s social housing construction blitz, about 10,000 new jobs will be created. The Government has said up to 10 per cent of all the hours worked will be completed by apprentices, trainees and cadets and hundreds of new jobs will be created for Aboriginal Victorians, social housing tenants, people who are or have experienced homelessness and migrants and refugees.[1]

Section 1: Confront long-term challenges

VCOSS welcomes the focus on energy efficiency in the draft Strategy. Investing in energy efficiency is a smart decision as we move through the COVID-pandemic. It will boost economic activity by quickly create thousands of jobs (for example in training, auditing, installation, manufacturing and local retail), while scaling up climate change adaptation measures, reducing load on the electricity grid and in the case of households, reducing energy bills and the risk of financial hardship.

In particular, we support the recommendations to mandate a home energy rating disclosure scheme (recommendation 5) and make Victorian government buildings more energy efficient (recommendation 6). The home energy disclosure scheme should focus on features, rather than overall performance, because it is easier for residents to understand, monitor and act. It could also be accompanied by more subsidies and no-interest loans schemes to assist low-income households to upgrade appliances or retrofit their properties to improve energy efficiency.

We would welcome the extension of recommendation 6 to community sector owned or leased buildings, which are often ageing and not energy efficient.

The switch to virtual courtrooms and remote testimony (recommendation 22) has helped some people resolve legal issues more quickly, and improved accessibility for some people with disability, reduced transport disadvantage for rural Victorians and helped victims of crime who may find attending court traumatising.  

But many Victorians still live on the wrong side of the digital divide. Without internet at home, participating in virtual court proceedings is very challenging. An over-reliance on technology could make it even harder for them to enforce their rights or resolve legal issues.

The priority for digitisation should be on safety and access, not just efficiency and reduced delays.

We support the replacement of ageing court infrastructure (recommendation 22) with contemporary and flexible facilities that can accommodate demand. New facilities must meet accessibility standards, as people with disability continue to report difficulties accessing court buildings and facilities.

Extending Melbourne’s green spaces and urban tree canopy (recommendation 37 and 71) should be particularly focused on low socio-economic areas of Melbourne. Melbourne has the lowest proportion of green space of all Australian capital cities[2] and about 135,000 Melbourne households don’t have any green space within 5km of their home.[3] This problem is particularly acute in low-income areas, where there is less green space, and higher surface temperatures, leaving households vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat.

 Section 2: Manage urban change

The proposed plan for public transport accessibility and tram stop upgrades (Recommendation 44) is especially welcome. Years of inaction mean only 15% of tram services are meaningfully accessible for people with mobility restrictions.[4] Tangible timelines for implementation will help maintain momentum and accountability.

In general, VCOSS is supportive of many of the proposals related to transport pricing (recommendations 45-55). We note, however, that measures designed to change behaviour to encourage different modes of transport or times of travel may not benefit low-income or vulnerable Victorians. People in insecure work, with caring responsibilities or with mobility and health needs are likely to have fewer choices about how and when they travel, and less ability to change their behaviour in response to pricing signals. Ongoing consideration and monitoring must be given to the differential impacts on low-income and vulnerable people.

VCOSS has concerns about the impacts of congestion pricing (recommendations 51 and 52) on low-income Victorians. Congestion charges hurt people on low incomes, and people who are forced to use their cars.

To be fair, any road charging system would need significant exemptions and concessions for people doing it tough, and generous hardship policies.

The need to build and upgrade hospital and clinical health infrastructure (recommendation 58) is clear. But investing in community health infrastructure is just as crucial. Community health is too often forgotten and ignored in favour of hospitals.

COVID restrictions have placed additional pressure on ageing or inadequate physical infrastructure for many community health services. For example, VCOSS members have to limit appointments, or meet clients in parks because their interview and treatment rooms do not meet size and density requirements. With long waiting lists for some services, this makes it harder for people to get help when they need it.

The extension of the Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund to community health services in last year’s budget is certainly welcome, but the sector is playing catch-up after years of underinvestment.

Investing in digital and information technology (IT) infrastructure across the community health sector would also help support the delivery of integrated care and partnerships, and shift to a more preventive model of care.

Section 3: Harness infrastructure for productivity and growth

Growth in social housing is desperately needed. VCOSS welcomes the recommendations to set targets for social housing growth (recommendation 73). But we can be more ambitious. In a 30-year strategy, in a state with a proud history of leading the nation in social investment, we can aim to do better than just meet the national average. Targets should also be flexible and responsive to local demand.

Social housing growth should include diverse models of public and community housing. Through the Big Housing Build, we need to identify a range of housing models and pathways that respond to a continuum of need, and provide different levels and lengths of support.

Housing that is easily modified to accommodate changing capabilities, such as the ability to install ramps, rails and to be able to move through the home without stairs helps people remain in their homes for longer while maintaining their independence.

We also support upgrading the energy efficiency of social housing properties (recommendation 95), especially in the hotter northern parts of Victoria. The energy efficiency improvements should be accompanied by information and guidance on how to manage energy use and keep housing cool to reduce bill-shock.

One in five Victorians live with disability, our ageing population is increasing and families with small children are excited to explore new places and experiences after the isolation of COVID-19. But many public places remain fully or partly inaccessible for people with disability, older people, people with mobility needs and pram users.  

Investing in accessibility upgrades for public places (recommendation 56)is a win-win for Victorians, businesses and the building sector alike. But inaccessibility is not limited to public buildings. The recommendation for priority public building upgrades could be complemented by grants and incentives for small businesses, such as cafes and shops, to improve access to their premises.

Infrastructure for a better mental health system (recommendation 75) will be critical to the successful implementation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. With the Royal Commission recommending 20 new area mental health services, and 50-60 local mental health and wellbeing services, as well as new Aboriginal healing centres, statewide mental health and addiction services and children and youth mental health services, infrastructure costs will be substantial. The new services should build on the strengths and relationships of existing community facilities, services and capital and ensure communities are consulted on appropriate facilities and locations.

 
Section 4: Develop regional Victoria

Community transport should be a pillar of the recommendation to reform transport in regional areas (recommendation 85). Community transport is affordable, flexible, accessible and adaptable to peoples’ needs. The community transport sector in Victoria has been underfunded for many years. A clearer articulation of its role in the 30-year Strategy would be welcome. 

The digital divide is especially wide in regional Victoria. Many households have no internet access at home. Being on the wrong side of the digital divide makes it harder to apply for jobs, access services, keep in touch with family and friends and increasingly, work or study. For students, access to a computer or device with an affordable internet connection can make sure they get the most out of school. 

It is essential the Government continue to address regional Victoria’s digital connectivity upgrades (recommendation 80). Focus in the most recent state budget was on improving business-grade broadband connectivity and removing blackspots. While these measures will help support businesses and jobs-growth in regional Victoria, more can be done to ensure households are not disadvantaged. As well as the physical connection, consideration should be given to how people can access affordable devices, free or affordable data and protection against disconnection for people struggling to pay their bills.

Libraries are a vital community facility, providing people with safe places to meet and connect, access to the internet, and many learning opportunities. As well as better internet access in regional libraries (recommendation 87), libraries can be supported through longer opening hours, upgraded facilities and shared community spaces.

VCOSS supports the recommendations to identify opportunities for multipurpose, integrated shared facilities for local community organisations (recommendation 89). Co-location can improve access to and integration of services and generate savings that can be redirected into service delivery. Integrated services can provide more tailored ‘wrap-around’ support, aiding social engagement, individual wellbeing and community development.

We note, however, that shared spaces may not be appropriate for all communities, geographic areas or groups of people. For example, co-locating family violence crisis services with other service types may put women and children at risk of being identified in some communities.

Some of the benefits of shared spaces may also be achieved through measures like shared IT capacity or virtual hubs, not just co-location. Engagement with community organisations and communities about local need, profile and risk will help determine what is appropriate for each community.

Residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation beds (recommendation 92) are desperately needed in regional Victoria. Wait-times for treatment have blown out as a result of COVID-related demand and density restrictions.

Currently, young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Victoria have limited options for support. The service system is designed primarily for adults. It’s not equipped to respond to the unique needs of young people, or to provide them with the right support to access and maintain stable housing themselves.

VCOSS recommends addressing youth homelessness through a comprehensive new strategy that includes more youth foyers (recommendation 93) or foyer-like models that provide integrated learning and housing for young people.


To discuss this submission further,
please contact Brooke McKail,
Manager Policy and Research on  brooke.mckail@vcoss.org.au

[1] Homes Victoria, Jobs and apprenticeships, https://www.vic.gov.au/homes-victoria-jobs

[2] Climate Council, Clean Jobs Plan, AlphaBeta, July 2020

[3] A Lakhani, D Wollersheim, E Kendall and P Korah, About 340,000 Melburnians have little or no parkland within 5km of their home, ABC News, 12 August 2020.

[4] Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, Accessibility of Tram Services, October 2020.

]]> VCOSS response to Infrastructure Victoria’s state transport network study https://vcoss.org.au/transport/2020/03/vcoss-response-to-infrastructure-victorias-state-transport-network-study/ Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:18:52 +0000 https://vcoss.test/?p=33771 The independent advisory body Infrastructure Victoria has released a study about modernising the state’s transport network.

These are comments VCOSS provided to journalists on initial release of the report.

Attributable to VCOSS CEO Emma King:

Infrastructure Victoria is proposing a raft of smart measures to reduce congestion and make getting around easier and more affordable.

Many of Infrastructure Victoria’s ideas are worthy of further analysis.

However, we remain concerned about the proposal for congestion charging on Victorian roads.

Congestion charges are unfair at the best of times, and these are not the best of times.

Congestion charges disproportionately hurt people on low incomes, and people who are forced to use their cars.

To be anywhere near fair, any road charging system would need significant exemptions and concessions for people doing it tough, and generous hardship policies for those who can’t pay their bills.

Let’s be blunt. This is a bad idea being floated at the wrong time.

We shouldn’t be talking about new road charges while Victorians are looking down the barrel of a painful recession.

###ENDS###

READ MORE: Call to scrap rego and myki, charge commuters for how far they travel – The Age, 25 March 2020

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