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© Copyright State of Victoria 2007

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except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 Building on our commitment
May 2007
Authorised by the Victorian Government.

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ISBN 978 1 921331 02 2

Building on our commitment
May 2007
contents
contents

MESSAGES FROM THE PREMIER AND THE

MINISTER FOR VICTORIAN COMMUNITIES 4

INTRODUCTION 6
A Fairer Victoria – the story so far 6

ACCESS TO UNIVERSAL SERVICES 12

Strategy 1 Giving children the best start in life 13
Strategy 2 Keeping young people on track 16
Strategy 3 Responding to family violence more effectively 19
Strategy 4 Helping older Victorians stay independent 21

REDUCING BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY 26

Strategy 5 Providing fairer access to services 27
Strategy 6 Making services more affordable 31
Strategy 7 Boosting access to affordable housing 34
Strategy 8 Improving access to justice 36

SUPPORT FOR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS 40

Strategy 9 Building a new partnership with
Indigenous Victorians 41
Strategy 10 Creating new opportunities for people
with a disability 44
Strategy 11 Increasing support for mental health services 47

SUPPORT FOR DISADVANTAGED PLACES 52

Strategy 12 Building stronger communities 53

MAKING IT EASIER TO WORK WITH GOVERNMENT 57

Strategy 13 Changing the way we work with communities 58

Strategy 14 Developing better ways of working

together at a regional and local level 60

Summary of investment in A Fairer Victoria 64

 Messages
page 

Message from the Premier

Two years ago, our Government announced a That is why we are releasing this update to A Fairer
landmark strategy – A Fairer Victoria – to create Victoria.
opportunities and improve the lives of disadvantaged
Our Government will invest a further $1.4 billion
Victorians.
to remove barriers that prevent people from
The strategy not only mapped out how we would help participating in their communities and to provide
disadvantaged people and communities build a better an even stronger focus on areas such as affordable
future for themselves and their families. It also sent housing, mental health and early childhood
a very clear message that we will do everything in our development.
power to ensure all Victorians – no matter where they
A Fairer Victoria is making a real difference to people’s lives.
live – share in our State’s prosperity.
The challenge is to keep building on that work
Over the last two budgets, we have invested more
and create more opportunities for disadvantaged
than $1.6 billion in practical new initiatives and
Victorians, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives in the
reforms. Families at risk are getting help earlier
years ahead.
and children are getting a better start in life. We are
giving people with a disability more personalised
and accessible support, enabling them to live more
independently. We are transforming our mental
health services and helping a greater number of older
Steve Bracks
Victorians remain active in the community. And our
Premier of Victoria
neighbourhood and community renewal programs are
working with residents to improve community assets
and the quality of life in certain suburbs.

Narrowing the gap between disadvantaged Victorians

and the rest of the community takes time. It requires
sustained commitment, investment and review to
ensure we are providing the right programs to the
right people at the right time.

“A Fairer Victoria is making a real

difference to people’s lives.”
Messages
Message from the Minister for Victorian Communities
Through A Fairer Victoria we are building on our investments
in areas we know have a direct impact on disadvantage.
Particular priorities this year include far–reaching reforms in
children’s services, substantial investment in social housing,
continuing reform of our mental health services and growth
funding for disability services.
We are adopting a new approach to tackling the needs
of disadvantaged places and we are making it easier
for people to access essential government services and
programs by changing the way we work.
We know that the most effective responses are those
that build on the strengths of communities themselves.
We will, therefore, continue to invest in places and
communities across Victoria to support new partnerships
that are addressing locally identified priorities.
Importantly, the effort to address disadvantage is being
pursued over a wider front. In 2007, the approach
developed by A Fairer Victoria goes beyond the traditional
welfare areas of government to embrace key service
areas such as public transport, schools and housing.
The result is that there are now more programs being
pursued on a ‘whole of government’ basis, so we can
better coordinate our efforts.
A Fairer Victoria’s influence on the wider policy agenda
can be seen for example in programs designed to
encourage greater out–of–hours use of schools for
community activities and the transformation of railway
stations into community hubs.
“We know that the most effective
responses are those that build on the
strengths of communities themselves.”
page 5
The focus on disadvantaged places and regional
coordination is improving the extent to which local
communities are involved in identifying their needs and
setting priorities. We are giving a high priority to those
communities suffering from the impact of drought and
bushfire.
At the same time, we know that the causes of
disadvantage and the barriers to full participation in
society are changing. Housing market changes, new
welfare rules and workplace laws that have an impact on
workforce participation are all changing the nature and
profile of disadvantage.
New challenges include the need to conserve energy
and water, the ageing of the population, and the growing
digital divide between those accessing and benefiting
from new technology and those being left behind. To
be effective, we need to understand how these changes
affect vulnerable individuals and communities and
develop new responses to ensure these and future
changes do not further entrench disadvantage.
I will be examining the way forward for A Fairer
Victoria over the next six months and will consult with
stakeholders and the community to ensure our approach
remains the most effective way of improving the lives of
the most vulnerable Victorians.
Peter Batchelor
Minister for Victorian Communities
 Introduction
page 

Introduction

A Fairer Victoria – the story so far

A Fairer Victoria was launched in May 2005 as the The core element of this framework is the combined
Victorian Government’s long term action plan to tackle emphasis on the provision of accessible and affordable
disadvantage and create opportunity for all Victorians. universal services for all Victorians and a parallel
focus on targeting support for those in greatest
The development of A Fairer Victoria started in March
need. By combining essential service provision with
2005 with the release of Challenges in Addressing
new methods of strengthening communities we are
Disadvantage in Victoria. This document examined
reforming the way government works.
the nature and extent of disadvantage in Victoria
and made the case for reducing disadvantage in the The framework tackles inequality and disadvantage by:
interests of all Victorians.
• emphasising early intervention and prevention;
The analysis showed that despite our growing
• matching local service delivery to individual needs
economy, not all Victorians were getting a fair chance
to share in the benefits of the State’s strong economic • assisting communities to support individuals to
performance. This entrenched disadvantage not only overcome problems
affected the lives and aspirations of individuals, but
• making services easier to access, more
also undermined Victoria’s capacity to achieve the
responsive and more successful.
strong economic and productivity growth needed to
ensure our future prosperity.

A Fairer Victoria was developed as the Government’s

overarching social strategy for meeting Victoria’s
future challenges and improving the lives of all
Victorians. It complements the Government’s
economic and environmental strategies and is based
around five principal policy objectives and 14 specific
strategies for achieving them.

A FAIRER VICTORIA AND THE NATIONAL REFORM AGENDA

In August 2005, the Victorian Premier proposed an ambitious
new National Reform Agenda for Australia. Australia has seen
two waves of successful national reform in the 1980s and 1990s,
and Premier Bracks argued the case for a third wave of national
reform to address the new challenges facing Australia, including
an ageing population, ongoing technological change and
increased global competition.
The National Reform Agenda is based on the proposition that
future economic prosperity depends on:
• new investment to increase the skills and health of the
population and therefore boost workforce participation; and
• economic reforms to boost competition and reduce
regulation.
The objectives of A Fairer Victoria intersect with the aims of
this agenda and share a common focus; to build the prospects
of all members of the community. Productivity will not grow
if a significant part of the community remains in low skilled,
low wage jobs or is excluded from the workforce due to age or
health.
The National Reform Agenda was endorsed by the Council
of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2006. The federal and
all state and territory governments endorsed the view that a
healthier and more skilled population is necessary to underpin
a strong national economy through increased workforce
participation and productivity, and will provide Australians with
the opportunity to participate fully and actively in our economy
and society.

In the first year of A Fairer Victoria, $788.2 million in
new funding was allocated to 85 initiatives delivering
benefits to local communities across Victoria.
These initiatives were selected for their ability to
demonstrate lasting and measurable reduction in
disadvantage. Many of these initiatives have grown
into longer–term partnerships between State and
local government, the community and business.
In 2006 A Fairer Victoria – Progress and Next Steps,
was released. This report contained $851 million of
new investment allocated over a further 4 years. Now
in its third year, A Fairer Victoria continues to be a
central focus for the Government’s third term agenda,
with an additional budget commitment of $1.4 billion
– bringing the total investment in A Fairer Victoria to
$3 billion.
New priorities in 2007 for support each other and plan for their futures
A Fairer Victoria
A Fairer Victoria – Building on our commitment focuses
on delivering the Government’s promise to help make
Victoria a fairer place, and one of the best places to
live and raise a family. It will deliver the Government’s
election commitments.
A FAIRER VICTORIA AND THE NATIONAL REFORM AGENDA
Australia’s federal system means funding and service delivery
responsibilities for critical areas such as health and education
are shared across two or three levels of government. The
National Reform Agenda is based on the view that improvements
achieved by governments acting alone in these areas will
be greatly outweighed by the benefits that are possible if
governments work together in the national public interest.
This requires major reforms and a fair sharing of the costs and
benefits of those reforms.
The agreed mechanism for achieving change is the development
of state–specific Action Plans to tackle high priority areas, with
strong evidence that reforms will pay large economic and social
dividends. Victoria has now released three State Action Plans
designed to:
• reduce obesity and Type 2 diabetes;
• improve our children’s literacy and numeracy; and
page 
These investments align with the Council of
Australian Governments’ (COAG) National Reform
Agenda which recognises that helping Australians to
develop their capabilities will contribute to national
prosperity by boosting workforce participation and
productivity. This ongoing investment in human
capital is a key theme of A Fairer Victoria.
A Fairer Victoria will contribute to these areas through
additional investments in:
• people – we will continue to invest in the well–
being and capacity of individuals so all Victorians
are able to participate in the economic and social
life of their communities
• communities – we will continue to invest in
local institutions and organisations that provide
opportunities for communities to come together,
• infrastructure – we will continue to invest in the
facilities needed to underpin the strengthening
of human and social capital in Victorian
communities, such as our investments in
Children’s Centres, social housing, schools, and
multi–use community facilities.
• support early childhood development and better child care.
Each of the Plans identified an initial set of priority actions
for each level of government. Victoria will provide around
$600 million to support these Plans and is calling on the
Commonwealth to contribute its fair share.
At the April 2007 meeting of COAG, some progress was made
in implementing the National Reform Agenda. First, Ministers
agreed to devote $200 million to combat diabetes. COAG also
agreed to develop a new national approach to the regulation and
quality assurance of child care and kindergarten, to national
standards for teachers and school leaders, and to an assessment
system for children entering school. These are all worthwhile
steps forward. Victoria hopes that the pace for reform will
increase and that more substantive commitments will be made
to deliver on the potential of the National Reform Agenda – which
will also speed change towards creating A Fairer Victoria.
 Introduction
page 
In its third term, the Government has made major
policy commitments to address disadvantage and
develop the capabilities of all Victorians.
Improving Housing
The Government wants to help more Victorians buy
their own homes, and have a more secure future for
themselves and their families, by:
• ensuring that affordable and appropriate housing
is available in both established areas and growth
corridors
• helping more Victorians to become home owners
in a national climate of rising interest rates and
house prices
• promoting the sustainable development of
housing to provide for a growing population within
constrained supplies of land, water and energy.
Through A Fairer Victoria we have already invested
over $135 million in boosting access to affordable
housing. These initiatives have focused strongly
on homelessness, emergency accommodation
and transitional housing. However in the face of a
continuing strong demand for housing in Victoria,
more needs to be done to alleviate housing stress for
both renters and first home buyers.
This year’s Budget includes a major commitment of
$510.4 million to boost the supply of social housing
and provide additional support for homeless people,
greater protection for tenants and improving housing
affordability for all Victorians. There is also increased
support for Victorians buying their first home.
Helping Carers
Families, friends and other carers play a vital role in
supporting people with disabilities, chronic illness
or mental illness, children needing foster care and
increasing numbers of frail older Victorians. There
are more than 100,000 primary carers in Victoria, with
12% over 65 years of age.
Introduction
We will support carers by offering respite care,
capacity building for carers and their families, and
services that are responsive to the diverse contexts of
care.
A new Carers’ Reward Card will provide concessions
to those carers currently outside eligibility criteria,
create a Carers’ Charter to recognise the need for
active involvement by carers in developing policy, and
establish more support for elderly carers and carers
of people with a mental illness.
Support for people with disabilities
In the past, Victoria’s disability services system
adopted a one–size–fits–all approach. Our new
approach centres on the specific needs of individuals
and their families.
Through A Fairer Victoria we have invested an
additional $201.4 million to give people more choice
in how they are supported and to give them a say in
their futures. We are helping people with disabilities
become more independent by offering more flexible
support in the home, and more hands–on help with
independent living.
While progress is being made, we know that this is
only the beginning of a long–term change needed to
create a more inclusive community. We will continue
to expand our investment by increasing spending on
aids and equipment, support packages and support
services.
We will also make training and employment
opportunities for people with a disability a higher
priority and through implementation of State
Disability Action Plans across government encourage
more people with a disability to consider careers in
the public and community sectors.

Giving children the best start in life
Early childhood experiences have a direct influence
on future life chances. Experts agree that the best
results for children come from integrating services
such as maternal and child health, child care, early
intervention and kindergarten. That’s why we have
invested in early childhood services and created a
new Office for Children and a Minister for Children.
Over the last two years, A Fairer Victoria has already
committed $385 million to new services for children,
especially in areas with expanding populations and high
concentrations of young families such as Melbourne’s
growth corridors and outer suburban areas.
We have worked hard through the Council of
Australian Governments (COAG) to ensure that
early childhood investment becomes a national
priority. Victoria’s Plan to Improve Outcomes in Early
Childhood sets out a 10 year plan for a brighter future
for all Victorian children. We are now calling on the
Commonwealth to play its role in supporting families
and providing for the health, development and
learning of young children.
We will help make kindergartens more accessible.
Kindergarten will effectively be free for children of
parents with eligible concession cards and we will
provide more support for parent committees and
kindergarten teachers. Our Early Years focus will also
include new measures to benefit Indigenous children,
such as the provision of three year old kindergarten.
We will make childcare easier for parents and
improve access to children’s health services,
including more assistance for children with special
needs. And to ensure children have a better
experience in starting school, we will introduce
new initiatives to encourage literacy, numeracy and
physical activity.
page 
Better mental health services
Through A Fairer Victoria we have developed more
comprehensive, innovative and better integrated
mental health services designed to meet the needs of
all people with mental illness.
As part of the COAG 2006 reform agenda, we
committed $472 million over the next five years
towards the implementation of the National Mental
Health Action Plan. In the current budget, there is
funding for a further 95 mental health beds.
We will also increase the number of mental health
clinicians in emergency departments and provide
additional mental health services in regional Victoria.
We will expand mental health facilities and implement
measures to respond to new challenges presented
by meta–amphetamines and other dangerous illicit
drugs.
Further emphasis on skills and
training
Creating jobs and economic opportunities for
Victorians depends on successful, globally
competitive and sustainable businesses. These
businesses need a highly skilled and productive
workforce. Victoria’s economy is performing strongly
and is steadily creating new opportunities for people
to enter the workforce and to upgrade their skills in
areas of high demand. However, as a consequence of
the ageing of the population, we also need to increase
workforce participation, increase skills in the existing
workforce and boost skilled migration to meet our
future needs.
This focus will enable groups currently under–
represented in the labour market to get work and
benefit from our strong economy. It will also give
current employees new pathways to higher skilled
and better paid employment.
We have already redesigned Victoria’s employment
programs to focus on increasing workforce
participation. The Government’s skills strategy,
Maintaining the Advantage, sets out an action plan to
increase young Victorians’ involvement in education
and training and provide more opportunities for
Victorians of all ages to upgrade their skills.
 Introduction
page 10
A Fairer Victoria this year provides further investment
in skills and training, especially in relation to young
people and older workers with experience in areas
suffering skills shortages. We will focus on helping
people with disabilities access education, as well as
creating greater opportunities to gain employment in
the public and community sectors. And we will make
unprecedented investments in schools’ facilities so that
all Victorians have access to world class educational
and training facilities at all stages of their lives.
Revitalising Indigenous communities
In the 2006–07 Budget, the Bracks Government made
the biggest investment ever in Indigenous affairs by a
Victorian Government. The focus of these investments
was on a sustained, long term, whole of government
attack on Indigenous disadvantage.
This year A Fairer Victoria includes measures to build
the capacity of Indigenous Victorians to effectively run
their own organisations and gives particular priority
to the needs of young Indigenous people.
Additional resources will enable Indigenous children
to get access to high quality early education and care.
We will extend Koori maternity programs and support
parents to become more involved in education.
We will expand partnerships with local Indigenous
communities and encourage Koori businesses.
Introduction
Communities suffering from Drought
and Bushfire
The drought and last summer’s catastrophic
bushfires have had a severe impact on some
rural communities. The response of the Victorian
community to these twin crises has been magnificent
– in particular the long campaign waged by the
CFA volunteer fire–fighters – and has resulted in a
remarkably low toll in lives and property lost despite
the severity and extent of the fires.
The Government has moved quickly to inject funds
to assist the worst–hit communities and to redirect
priorities to ensure employment and tourism in these
areas is rapidly reinvigorated. The Ministerial Drought
Taskforce has developed a $150 million package of
drought response initiatives, the implementation of
which is now well underway.
At a farm level, Government is providing additional
attention for farmers in drought ‘hot spots’ across
the state. Government is investing in a range of
projects aimed at reducing water consumption, pest
control, environmental works and providing business
counselling. There have been 440 individual farm
visits, 830 phone inquiries and more than 5000 people
have attended workshops or farmer group meetings.
At a community level programs have included the
$3.75 million drought apprenticeship retention
bonus which helps small businesses retain young
apprentices, additional mental health services and
counselling, $1.25 million to help social support
agencies such as VicRelief + Foodbank support
families in some of the worst drought affected areas
and additional help to keep community facilities and
sports grounds operational over the summer months
in country towns.
A Fairer Victoria this year provides further investment
in supporting rural women to respond to drought
issues in their communities, school support packages
to help with learning essentials such as text books
and stationery and rate relief for farmers in drought
affected areas.

The importance of a place–based
approach
Government believes that effort and resources
should be targeted at communities with high levels
of disadvantage. There is clear evidence, including
from the Jesuit Social Services Report Dropping
Off the Edge (2007) by Professor Tony Vinson, that
disadvantage is concentrated in particular locations
where it adversely affects people’s chances in relation
to jobs, health, education and crime rates.
The kind of problems differ greatly; from the stress of
growth suburbs with a lag in community resources,
to the problems of drought facing rural and regional
communities and the entrenched pockets of
disadvantage in established areas where historical
and geographic factors concentrate low–income
families under pressure.
page 11
Investments in local community facilities like schools,
libraries and community centres provide a seed for the
development of community networks and growth of
human capital as people get involved in developing their
skills and getting more involved in community projects.
More detail about all the initiatives for 2007 in A Fairer
Victoria are set out in the following pages, including
details on each of the 14 strategies.
The new programs and service reforms introduced
in 2005 and 2006 are at different stages of
implementation with funds continuing to flow over the
coming years. These will all be carefully evaluated
to help set future directions based on what works in
practice. A report will be indertaken later in 2007.
We are already starting to see evidence of concrete
improvements in many people’s lives in communities
across Victoria.

Successful outcomes usually emerge when people

are given a say on issues that matter, and when
government and the community – including business
and community organisations – work together to
deliver on local priorities. When people encounter
problems, they are more readily addressed if they live
in a close community able to offer local support and
practical help.

From the start, A Fairer Victoria has included a strong

commitment to expanding place-based approaches,
and working in partnership across government,
and with local governments, the community sector,
business and local communities.

Building on successful programs such

Neighbourhood Renewal and Best Start, we have
focused on helping communities plan and work
together, and boosting local community organisations
and building new infrastructures, giving priority to
areas of high disadvantage.

This emphasis on place–based approaches continues

to be a feature of A Fairer Victoria in 2007, with the
new investments and programs detailed in this
update report.
 Access to Universal
page 12

Access to Universal Services

Services
As we continue to rebuild essential public services, we will ensure these services
meet the needs of disadvantaged groups, individuals and communities, with a
particular focus on the critical transition points in life.

Strategy 1: Giving children the best start in life

Strategy 2: Keeping young people on track
Strategy 3: Responding to family violence more effectively
Strategy 4: Helping older Victorians stay independent
Strategy 1
Strategy 1
Giving children the best start in life
Investing in children is the greatest contribution a
community can make to its future. We know that
investment in the first few years of life will result in
better health, improved educational outcomes, high
rates of labour force participation, lower levels of
dependence on the social security system and lower
crime rates. A Fairer Victoria provides a major boost
for early childhood development and child care.
Our work on the National Reform Agenda in relation
to early childhood development underpins our plan to
improve the lives of all Victorians. We are improving
development opportunities for children and increasing
participation in the workforce of parents with
dependent children. Parents face many pressures
when balancing work and family responsibilities.
The challenge is to deliver what parents want and
what children need, including better access to
higher quality local, flexible and affordable child care
and kindergarten integrated with children’s health
services.
page 13
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have provided 25 new children’s centres, which
bring local services such as maternal and child
health, parenting programs, playgroups, child care
and kindergarten together. With another 30 centres
on the way, these facilities will make a real difference
to children’s development, particularly helping to
identify problems early. We are also making these
services more flexible to better meet the individual
needs of children and families.
Highlights include:
• achieving a 90 per cent full immunisation rate
in children up to six years old, the first time an
Australian state or territory has achieved such
coverage
• commencing anaphylaxis training for child care
workers, kindergarten and school teachers
• reaching a 95 per cent average kindergarten
participation rate for four–year olds, well above
the national level
• 98 per cent of newborn babies now being checked
by our revitalised maternal and child health
services
• verifying the suitability of more than 40,000
people who work with children through the
groundbreaking Working With Children Check.
 Strategy 1
page 14
Strategy 1
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
Victoria’s Plan to Improve Outcomes in Early Childhood
will ensure all Victorian children are given the best
possible start in life. We will improve antenatal
services, strengthen the health, development and
learning of young children enhance Victoria’s early
childhood education and care services and improve
the supply and professionalism of the early years
workforce.
We will make kindergarten and child care more
accessible for parents. We will also improve the
health of Victorian children through obesity prevention
programs and by promoting immunisation. We will
also continue to encourage the highest literacy
standards among young children.
1.1 Reform kindergartens and
early childhood learning
More than 60 per cent of Victorian children under
four years old have both parents at work. To ensure
these children do not miss out on kindergarten
programs, we will invest $10 million to assist long
day care centres offer kindergarten programs, and
allow kindergartens to offer more flexible programs
or extended hours.
We will provide $28.9 million to lift the kindergarten
fee subsidy from $320 to $730 per year, making four
year old kindergarten effectively free for children
whose parents hold a Health Care Card. We will also
improve access for Indigenous children (refer 9.1),
including providing 10 hours per week of subsidised
kindergarten for three–year–olds with parents who
are eligible concession card holders, and engaging
preschool assistants to work with Aboriginal children
in early childhood education centres.
Local councils have identified maintenance and
equipment upgrades of kindergartens as a major
issue. By providing $15 million for a broad range
of initiatives including additions, renovations, safer
environments, new equipment and support for change
management processes in kindergartens, we will
provide better facilities and ease the need for ongoing
fundraising activities.
We will ensure all new schools in growth areas have
space for integrated children’s centres and will
explore options to develop facilities on land adjacent
to existing schools.
This will include:
• an additional $20 million for 40 new children’s
centres, adding to the 55 already completed or
under development across Victoria
• $2 million to establish a centralised child care
register, implemented at a local government level,
to give families better information about child
care facilities
• $4 million for scholarships and bridging courses
to assist school leavers and diploma–qualified
staff become qualified kindergarten teachers, and
provide kindergarten teachers and early childhood
workers with better access to professional
development and training
• $6.2 million to strengthen kindergarten cluster
management and support Kindergarten Parents
Victoria to pilot new management models in
partnership with local government
1.2 HELPING children with special needs
Carers take on a critical role caring for children at
risk of significant harm in their current environment.
We will provide $17.4 million to meet increased
demand for carers, especially kinship and permanent
care. These funds will reimburse carers for the cost
of caring for children and young people placed in their
care.
We will invest $6.2 million to ensure children who
have developmental delays or a disability receive a
range of coordinated services that provide better care.
150 children will receive early intervention places,
which could include therapy services, respite and
support for participation in playgroups and child care.
150 children with higher needs will receive improved
early intervention packages for extra therapy services.
We will invest $7.6 million to continue 310 early
intervention places.
A further $1.7 million will be allocated over two
years to reduce waiting times for children who need
counselling as a result of sexual abuse.

We will develop a State Autism Plan that better
meets the growing and complex needs of people with
autism and autism spectrum disorders. The Plan
will strengthen collaboration across Government
and develop partnerships with stakeholders such as
Autism Victoria. We will also develop strategies to
improve the effectiveness of the service system.
We will invest $14.4 million to upgrade out–of–home
care accommodation for children at risk of abuse and
neglect in their current environment.
1.3 Improving our children’s health
New funding in the 2007–08 budget will improve
children’s health as part of the Government’s
diabetes initiative, our commitment to introduce
“Free Fruit Friday” at schools and under the Kids
Go for your life program. This funding is not being
counted as a part of A Fairer Victoria but it will deliver
significant benefits to improve the health of children
by encouraging more exercise and better diets.
Initiatives include:
• grants for schools of up to $6000 for healthy
food preparation equipment and to upgrade
playgrounds and play equipment
• banning soft drinks with a high sugar content in
school canteens from this year and phasing out
confectionery by the end of 2008
• introducing a new Go for your life healthy canteen kit
• the Kitchen Garden project with Stephanie
Alexander, providing grants for schools to set up a
kitchen garden to grow healthy food at school
• Go for your life sports equipment grants.
page 15
We will invest $6.2 million to increase the capacity of
the Maternal and Child Health Line, foster innovative
parenting programs for new fathers, help new arrivals
to Victoria access mainstream services and improve
antenatal and postnatal support. In addition $23.8
million is being allocated to continue funding for
Maternal and Child Health Services.
Other children's health initiatives being funded
through the budget outside of A Fairer Victoria include
$10.1 million to progressively expand the neonatal
hearing screening program to all maternity hospitals
for every newborn and a further $5.6 million for the
Royal Children's Hospital Family Choice Program
to support children and young people with complex
needs live at home. We will also provide $1.5 million
to extend water fluoridation to several regional
centres in Victoria.
1.4 Encouraging literacy and numeracy
We have committed $323.8 million to improve the
literacy and numeracy outcomes of Victoria’s young
people.
Victoria’s recently released State Action Plan aims to
improve the literacy and numeracy of students who
are struggling to learn these key skills. It provides
funding for specialist literacy teams, additional
English as a Second Language assistance, and more
computers and new maths and science equipment
for schools. It also includes support for innovative
programs such as Career Change (which is attracting
people from other professions to teach maths,
science and other subjects) and the Ultranet, a
statewide online teaching and learning system to be
rolled out across Government schools.
The Plan also calls on the Commonwealth to invest
$600 million to improve teacher education, provide
homework centres for disadvantaged students and
expand targeted programs for students at risk.
We will invest $2.1 million through our maternal and
child health services to encourage reading in the early
years and to help parents improve their own literacy.
 Strategy 2
page 16
Strategy 2
Keeping young people on track
Through A Fairer Victoria we have implemented a
range of measures to engage young people in their
communities and ensure there are less barriers to
educational attainment and sustainable employment.
We need a world class education system for all
abilities and aspirations so that young Victorians can
realise their full potential. We need to ensure young
people have a voice and have access to increased
transport options. And we need to identify young
people at risk of disengaging from education and
training.
We have, therefore, set an ambitious target of 90
per cent by 2010 to further increase the proportion
of young people who complete Year 12 or equivalent
qualification – because research shows that doing
so results in better health, greater likelihood of
earning higher incomes, and less likelihood of being
unemployed.
Education choices will be further broadened over the
next four years by:
• establishing two new select entry government
schools to ensure our most talented students
have the chance to excel
• increasing accelerated learning programs and
specialist programs in secondary schools
• investing in better maths and science facilities
and renewing technical wings in all Government
secondary schools
• extending the provision of primary school welfare
officers
• providing teacher assistants for each Government
secondary school to undertake administrative
tasks, allowing teachers to focus on teaching.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
At over 90 per cent, Victoria already has Australia’s
highest level of 15–19 year olds engaged in education,
training or employment. We are providing more
options at school, new training opportunities, and
diverse pathways to employment so young people can
fully participate in Victoria’s future high–skill based
economy. And we have given young people a voice
in policy and decision making and engaged them in
initiatives connecting them to their community.
Highlights include:
• raising the school leaving age to 16 years
• introducing the Youth Guarantee, an Australian
first that provides early school leavers with
a place at a school, TAFE or selected adult
community education (ACE) provider to finish Year
12 or a training equivalent
• giving students more learning options – for
example, twice as many students chose the
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning as an
alternative to the Victorian Certificate of Education
in 2006 compared with three years ago
• supporting 15–19 year olds who have disengaged
from education, training or employment through
the Youth Transition Support initiative in 12 areas
of greatest need across Victoria
• developing four Technical Education Centres
to provide young people undertaking the
vocational training programs with access to
high–tech modern facilities and industry–standard
equipment
• helping young people gain leadership skills and
experience through the new Youth Foundations
program
• enrolments in the Vocational Education and
Training scheme increasing from around 15,000 in
1999 to over 45,000 in 2006
• assisting low income parents with schooling
expenses by increasing the Education
Maintenance Allowance for families by more than
60 per cent since 2004–05.

WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
We are already creating a new generation of schools
that will be modernised and equipped with state–
of–the–art facilities and are expanding the choice of
pathways into further education, training and jobs.
We will ensure our schools meet the needs of all
students through improved school infrastructure and
facilities and by improving the quality of teaching.
We will also continue to improve technical education
facilities and equipment, and we will ensure young
people are heard and involved in their communities.
2.1 The Victorian Schools Plan
Through the Victorian Schools Plan, all schools will
have been modernised within the next 10 years. Our
investment of $555 million in this Budget will see
131 schools modernised. It will also deliver 7000 new
computers and the statewide Ultranet service.
This will include $43 million to renew technical wings
in 30 government secondary schools and equipment
grants of up to $100,000 to all other secondary
colleges.
We will also provide $30 million (over four years)
to needy non–government schools to upgrade
facilities. We will invest a further $38.1 million in
TAFE institutes including at Box Hill, Geelong and
Docklands in recognition of their critical role in
providing pathways and expanding the existing skill
base of many workers.
The cost of this initiative is not included in the total
spending on A Fairer Victoria but is listed elsewhere in
the 2007–08 Budget Papers.
page 17
2.2 Assisting people in transition from
school to a job
We will provide all young people under 20 years old
with a guaranteed place at TAFE or at a selected
ACE provider to help them complete year 12, and
any remaining pre–apprenticeship places (from the
4500 created under our Skilled Victorians strategy)
will be delivered over the next three years. We will
also increase options for young people through five
new Skill Stores, which will open by June 2007 to
provide shopfront career advice centres. The new
Skills Stores will complement the already established
Local Learning and Employment Networks and the
Managed Individual Pathways that are providing
individual support and plans for students leaving
school.
We will implement a Students at Risk Mapping
Tool to further reduce the incidence of early school
leaving. By examining common risk factors such as
absenteeism and literacy and numeracy performance,
the tool will help schools identify students at risk of
leaving school early. Schools will then be able to plan
appropriate interventions for individual students or
groups of students and evaluate the effectiveness of
these interventions.
We will extend the successful Advance program
to help more young Victorians to get involved in
community work such as volunteering. In 2006 nearly
400 schools formed partnerships with nearly 2000
community groups to place over 11,000 young people
in community work. We will provide $6 million to
extend Advance over the next four years and increase
the numbers of schools and young Victorians involved
in the program.
 Strategy 2
page 18
Strategy 2
The Connectus pilot program, which targets at
risk 16-20 year olds using prevention and early
intervention strategies, is being extended. The project
features a comprehensive long-term mentoring
component and strong engagement with business
and will be evaluated over the next 12 months. We will
also review our workforce participation strategies to
assess the best way to develop these programs and
keep young people engaged.
2.3 Youth advocacy
We will provide additional funding of $1 million per
year to the key youth advocacy bodies to ensure young
people have a voice in the community.
We will ensure young Victorians have a stronger voice
through local government ‘youth charters’ and will
encourage local councils to engage young people.
Young Victorians will also have a say in decision
making at the State level through the Young People
Direct initiative, which provides a direct line to the
Minister for Youth Affairs.
2.4 Engaging young people through music
The $7.1 million Victoria Rocks program includes
grants to support musicians at different stages
of their career, providing new opportunities for
musicians and helping them make their first big
break into the music industry. Key elements of the
program include:
• Big Break, an expanded initiative based on the
highly successful Music for the Future program.
Big Break will provide career building grants for
individual musicians, bands and artists, matched
grants to help people under 26 years old purchase
musical equipment, and grants to help young
musicians develop professional websites
• providing young people with an opportunity to
participate in statewide music entertainment
events through the popular FReeZACentral
program which includes intensive workshops
that provide young people with skills to organise
music events and formal training in music
industry management. The program will also
provide young people with access to industry
professionals for high level mentoring
• United by the Beat, a world music initiative to be
located at the Footscray Community Arts Centre
celebrating the diversity of young people and their
music in Victoria.
2.5 Getting around
According to many young people, one of their biggest
frustrations is the lack of access to public transport.
Young people, particularly those living in the outer
suburbs and in rural areas, will benefit from extended
late night metropolitan rail services on Fridays and
Saturdays, and from the increased frequency and
hours of outer suburban bus services introduced in
Meeting Our Transport Challenges.
The NightRider bus service is being brought within
the Metcard ticketing system to make it more
convenient and cheaper to use. And young people
living in Narre Warren and Cranbourne will benefit
from new connections between a NightRider bus
service and new late night trains.
A new community volunteer driver experience
program is being established to provide
disadvantaged young people with access to a vehicle
or a supervisory driver to get the required 120 hours
of practice.
Strategy 3
Strategy 3
Responding to family violence more effectively
Family violence has severe and persistent impacts
which affect the whole family. We have responded to
this complex problem by developing a strategy that
aims to make Victorian women and children safer,
help women to make decisions about what happens
to them and their families and ensures perpetrators
are held accountable for their actions.
Because Government, community services, police
and justice agencies are now working together in
innovative ways, people affected by family violence are
receiving earlier and better responses. And by linking
these changes with other reforms such as the Child
and Family reforms, we are working to ensure they
meet the needs of all groups, including indigenous
and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)
communities.
Our focus continues to be to support women and
children so they can stay in their communities,
thereby minimising the disruption caused by family
violence.
page 19
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
Our system of services for those affected by family
violence is working better. We are seeing more
reporting of family violence and increased action by
the police. Women and children have more options
open to them, and there is increased accountability
of and access to behaviour change programs for men
who are violent.
Highlights include:
• more than doubling funding for family violence
services and recruiting more family violence
workers in every part of Victoria
• police using their new holding powers more
than 850 times since July 2006, increasing
opportunities for women and children to remain
safely in their homes without fear
• the number of intervention orders applied for
by Victoria Police increasing by 34 per cent in
2005–06 (on top of the 81 per cent increase in
2004–05)
• the number of family violence charges laid
increasing by 73 per cent in the first year and a
further 30 per cent in the second year, since the
new Police Code of Conduct.
• establishing a Family Violence Court Division in
the Ballarat and Heidelberg Magistrates’ Courts,
with specially trained magistrates and support
services ordering more than 350 men to access
behaviour change programs
• establishing three new Family Violence Specialist
Services at the Melbourne, Frankston and
Sunshine Courts, resulting in a higher percentage
of offenders consenting to protection orders and
over 1200 women being supported
• more women and children receiving
financial assistance to access private rental
accommodation
• developing an innovative early intervention
program to help 157 young men deemed at risk of
using violence in future relationships
 Strategy 3
page 20
Strategy 3
• in partnership with Indigenous communities,
developing the Indigenous Family Violence
Partnership Forum to prepare a 10–year plan to
address family violence
• establishing four Healing and four Time Out
services for Indigenous communities
• developing a risk assessment and risk
management framework, including practice
guides for mainstream and specialist services and
for police and courts.
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
We will build on the whole of government family
violence reform, emphasising the need to prevent
violence before it occurs. To do this, we will work with
the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation to support
new ways of preventing violence against women and
children. We will continue to work with all service
providers to improve the range of services they offer
to families, and we will monitor the response of the
police, the courts, and service providers.
3.1 New family violence legislation
We will enact new legislation that better protects
women and children from family violence following
recommendations contained in the Victorian Law
Commission’s 2006 report on family violence. The
new intervention order system aims to improve
the responsiveness of the justice system and
reduce the need for victims to attend multiple court
appearances to obtain protection. It will also make
the safety of abused people paramount, and make
perpetrators accountable for their behaviour. In
addition to continuing the family violence courts
at Heidelberg and Ballarat we will also provide
$3.7million to prevent victims being cross-examined
by unrepresented defendants.
3.2 Supporting consistent risk
assessment across the system
We will provide $2 million over two years to
implement the Safer Families Training Package
across the State for professionals responding to
victims of family violence. This program will provide a
consistent approach to risk assessment and ensure
an early, effective and professional response to family
violence victims by skilled key professionals such as
teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, police and
court workers.
3.3 Network of family violence community
lawyers
As part of our expanded legal aid investment (see
initiative 8.1) we will fund a network of community
lawyers skilled in family violence to help people apply
for intervention orders. The network will establish
a further position at the Aboriginal Family Violence
Prevention Legal Service to assist Indigenous
Victorians in the Melbourne, Barwon and Gippsland
regions, and will provide expert legal advice and
assistance at the existing Family Violence Court
divisions at Ballarat and Heidelberg.
Strategy 4
Strategy 4
Helping older Victorians stay independent
A Fairer Victoria includes new initiatives to support
Victorians as they live longer, more active lives
and face new challenges. We are also taking a
new approach to people with dementia and their
families and carers, and are continuing to value the
contribution of older Victorians workers.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have encouraged employers to retain and attract
older workers and continue to support seniors to
stay involved in learning. We have provided additional
services for seniors to live independently, more than
doubling the number of personal alarms for older
people at home. We have raised awareness about
elder abuse and provided protections and services for
those at risk. And we are making public spaces more
‘age friendly’ while facilitating the building of new
aged care services.
Highlights include:
• expanding and providing additional support for
Universities of the Third Age (U3A) to provide
stimulating learning opportunities for older
Victorians
• increasing the number of Home and
Community Care services (funded jointly with
the Commonwealth) for frail older people and
younger people with disabilities by providing
478,000 more hours of services such as nursing,
allied health, domestic assistance, personal care
and meals
• introducing the Seniors Sunday Pass for free
public transport travel for seniors, expanding
the annual Seniors Festival so that events occur
in all local government areas across Victoria,
and supporting an increase in more accessible
strength training courses.
page 21
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
We will use the experience and skills of older workers
in industries with skills shortages, continue to help
older Victorians remain active in their communities,
and provide additional health services and facilities
including more personal alarms for older Victorians.
4.1 Helping older Victorians stay
independent
We will boost funding by a record $83 million on
Home and Community Care (HACC) services such as
nursing, personal support and home maintenance to
enable more frail older people (and young people with
a disability) live independently.
In addition we will allocate $1.2 million to ensure
greater access to HACC services for CALD seniors.
We will invest an additional $2.2 million to increase
the number of funded personal alarm units by 1000,
bringing the total number of units to 21,255 by the
end of 2008.
To enable people to live at home independently with
the support and care of loved ones, we will provide
$3.3 million for flexible and responsive support and
respite for people with dementia and their families
and carers. This is in addition to initiatives for carers
in initiative 5.1.
4.2 Helping older Victorians with dental
and eye care problems
We will invest $7.3 million to expand dental services
to:
• establish an outreach screening service for
supported residential services
• provide accessible dental treatment services in
local community health services
• provide an additional 6000 pairs of dentures for
older Victorians
A further $2.5 million will be allocated to create a
mobile eye care service and provide an additional
3000 pairs of spectacles per year.
 Strategy 4
page 22

Strategy 4

4.3 Active older Victorians 4.5 CALD older persons’ action plan

We will provide $4.2 million to tap into the skills of at
least 700 retired experts in industries experiencing
skills shortages through the Experience Counts
program, allowing these workers to return to the
workforce and share their knowledge with others.
Training will be delivered by industry bodies and
unions in conjunction with employment, training and
other service providers.
Because many men have no connection to community
organisations, other than work, we will invest
$2 million to build 25 new ‘men’s sheds’, thus
contributing to better health and social enjoyment
and providing pathways to learning and employment
opportunities for men experiencing social isolation,
ageing and significant change in their lives.
We will invest $1.35 million to ensure more strength
training programs and walking clubs for seniors are
available across Victoria.
We will develop an action plan for older Victorians
from CALD backgrounds and build on existing
initiatives to more effectively meet the needs of this
growing group. The plan will address health and
aged care, language, independent living and social
isolation.
4.6 Recognising Victoria’s veterans
We will provide $2 million to restore war memorials,
encourage greater understanding across the
community of the sacrifice made by Victorian war
veterans, and foster intergenerational connections.
We will also provide $1.5 million to commence the
design and site clearance for a new veterans’ mental
health facility at Heidelberg, ensuring the site is
available when the current work on redeveloping
the Kokoda Gym and the new hydrotherapy pool is
complete.

To reduce obesity, we will establish place–based

projects in six disadvantaged areas, targeting people
aged 50 years and over and promoting physical
activity and healthy eating.

Through an innovative partnership project co–funded

by the Department for Victorian Communities, the
Department of Infrastructure, the Transport Accident
Commission, VicRoads and the RACV, we will advise
older Victorians about their options for mobility when
they can no longer drive safely .

4.4 Modernising aged care facilities

We will provide $4.5 million for the second stage

of the Aged Care Land Bank. This will assist
not–for–profit aged care providers acquire surplus
Government sites at affordable prices in inner and
middle Melbourne suburbs. The land will be used
for the development of new residential aged care
services, with an emphasis on high care places.

This year we will add to the 43 aged care facilities by

funding improvements at Leongatha and Nathalia and
fund the next stage of development at the Caulfield
Medical Centre and Calvary Health Care Bethlehem.
 page 23
Margaret Lane was one of the first people to teach
a class at the newly formed Healesville U3A . She
teaches a gentle form of Hatha Yoga and tailors her
program to suit the over 50’s students in the class.
 CASE STUDY
page 24

Case Study > COLLINGWOOD

Solutions found at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre

Collingwood has levels of disadvantage that can make life for its residents quite
tough. It has high unemployment and the crime rate is nearly four times the
State average, with drug–related crime a major problem. A significant number
of its residents are one–parent families with low incomes. Three–quarters
of residents of the Collingwood Housing Estate were born overseas, raising
complexities for service delivery.

The Government is committed to getting Collingwood back on its feet by providing

better services in new ways. A Fairer Victoria funds initiatives such as the
Neighbourhood Justice Centre (opened in February 2007), delivering real results
to the community and helping to address the underlying causes of crime and
disadvantage through information, support and services to offenders and victims.

While some people’s experiences mean they are
intimidated by police, dealing with authorities is so
much harder for those trying to learn English and
understand a new justice system.
Sometimes all it takes is having someone to explain
things in a safe environment.
Staff at the new Neighbourhood Justice Centre next
to the Collingwood Housing Estate are acting as a
sounding board and providing advice and referrals.
“The support can include getting people in touch with
the right services, and arranging court hearings, to
simply lending an ear and providing a cup of tea,”
says Kerry Walker, the centre’s director.
The centre opened in February 2007 and is working
with the community to solve problems at an early
stage.
Mere Paora Epere, a resident of the Collingwood
Housing Estate, says it is already making an impact.
“Everyday I pass the new building, I feel more
secure knowing there is now a place everyone in the
community can go for information, advice and help on
their legal rights,” says Mere.
“The mood of the housing estate has really lifted,
as people feel more confident in getting help and
information if they have a query or a legal issue.”
page 25
Mere says many of the residents at the housing
estate are newly arrived migrants or people who have
had negative experiences with local authorities and
are hesitant or nervous about seeking legal support
or aid.
“It can be very intimidating for people to talk to the
police, lawyers, or the government, especially if they
have broken the law,” she adds.
Mere says that everyone at the centre is very friendly
and welcoming, and no question is too big or small
for them.
Kerry agrees with Mere and says the community
seems to see the centre as a friendly and welcoming
environment.
“From housing and homeless support, to
interpreting, legal aid and mediation and dispute
settlement, the centre provides support to people
who may normally feel they don’t have access to legal
and government support, “ says Kerry.
Mere says an elderly Vietnamese couple in her
housing estate had waited six years for their stove
top to be fixed, but once the centre opened, they were
able to get advice and support to follow up with the
appropriate people, and now have a new stove.
“I was at my front door the other day and one of my
neighbours greeted another, something which never
happens among strangers in our estate,” she says.
“I believe this is because people safer and relaxed in
their homes, with the centre so close by.“
“I can’t wait to see what other benefits the centre has
for the estate and our community,” Mere adds.

The NJC is part of a wider effort to revitalise the City of Yarra, including a neighbourhood renewal
initiative, a workforce participation partnership, new community enterprises, a Community Information
Centre, and support for volunteering. These are having an impact; for example, since the establishment
of the Collingwood neighbourhood renewal initiative in 2003, overall crime has dropped by 17 per
cent, and 34 per cent of residents have noted an improvement in their environment and the standard
of housing. Building on these successes, A Fairer Victoria continues to work with locals to make
Collingwood a great place to live.
 Reducing Barriers to
page 26

Reducing Barriers to Opportunity

Opportunity
We will act to reduce the barriers that prevent people gaining opportunities for
a better life. These barriers include individual and structural difficulties that
prevent people from fully participating in community life, such as poor health, a
lack of skills, poor mobility and restricted access to services and facilities. Action
will also be taken to strengthen the capacity of individuals and communities in
order to increase their choices and control over life’s opportunities.

Strategy 5: Providing fairer access to services

Strategy 6: Making services more affordable
Strategy 7: Boosting access to affordable housing
Strategy 8: Improving access to justice
Strategy 5
Strategy 5
Providing fairer access to services
Access to universal services is the foundation for
addressing disadvantage in the community, but not all
Victorians have equal access to the services that meet
their fundamental needs. Through A Fairer Victoria, we
aim to reduce the barriers faced by some individuals
or groups in accessing services and facilities that
most Victorians take for granted.
page 27
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have raised awareness about discrimination,
minimised the effects of laws based on poverty,
taken steps to include newly settled refugees into
the community, and broadened access to arts
programs. We are supporting locally based solutions
to unemployment and skills shortages, and providing
long–term sustainable jobs for disadvantaged
jobseekers. We are also providing additional support
for people who care for the most vulnerable members
of our community.
Highlights include:
• establishing and expanding the specialist refugee
nurse program in communities that are home to
high numbers of recently arrived refugees
• creating 89 workforce participation partnerships
across Victoria in areas of high need, providing
sustainable jobs for more than 1950 jobseekers
(including 400 young people at risk, Indigenous
Victorians, and people from CALD backgrounds)
• our leading role in the push for a national
approach to workforce participation (through the
National Reform Agenda), which includes better
ways to help parents, older workers, Indigenous
and other job seekers facing barriers find
pathways to skills and employment.
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
In addition to the support for carers outlined in 1.2, 4.1,
10.2 and 11.3, we will provide assistance to those caring
for others with special needs. And we will continue to
ensure those who need extra support, including people
from CALD communities, women re–entering the
workforce, and people at risk of drug and alcohol abuse,
have access to the services they need.
 Strategy 5
page 28
Strategy 5
5.1 Support for carers
More than 100,000 primary carers in Victoria play
a critical role supporting others in the community,
including people with a disability or mental illness,
children in foster care, and an increasing number
of frail aged. We will provide support to carers
in recognition of the complexities of the caring
relationships and the need to improve support
services.
We will develop a Carers’ Reward Card for carers
aged under 60 years and foster carers who are not
eligible for other concessions. This program will
give carers discounts for a range of Government and
community venues, activities and services, free travel
on public transport on Sundays and travel vouchers
for two free off–peak trips on public transport.
We will also develop a Carers’ Charter that recognises
the role of carers and gives them a voice in policy
development and service delivery.
NEW SUPPORT FOR CARERS
Families, friends and other carers play a vital role in supporting
people with disabilities, those with chronic illness or mental
illness, children needing foster care and our increasing
numbers of frail older Victorians. A Fairer Victoria recognises
the important work undertaken by carers through a range of
initiatives to:
• provide support to carers in recognition of the complexities
of the caring relationships and the need to improve support
services
We will invest $4 million for training and support
programs through Carers Victoria, building on and
expanding its existing programs and including:
• education for families about legal and financial
responsibilities, and support services including
grief counselling and support in the home
• advice to service providers (including general
practitioners) about resources and services
• workshops for families and community support
services on planning future care options.
Respite care is critical for sustainable care
arrangements, enabling carers to take a break from
ongoing responsibilities. We will provide $13.1 million
for additional services—whether in the family home or in
community facilities—that are flexible and responsive to
individual family needs.
5.2 Supporting our CALD communities
We will provide an additional $4 million for grants
from the Victorian Multicultural Commission to
support CALD communities, particularly new arrivals
to Victoria, older Victorians and women from CALD
backgrounds.
• give carers discounts for a range of Government and
community venues, activities and services, free travel on
public transport on Sundays and travel vouchers for two
free off–peak trips on public transport
• establish training and support programs that expand Carers
Victoria’s existing programs including those addressing
legal and financial responsibilities, grief counselling,
support in the home, advising service providers about
resources and services and conducting workshops for
families and community support services on planning
future care options

We will provide $5.4 million towards community
languages including:
• a one–off $300,000 grant to the Victorian
Multicultural Commission to boost its after hours
ethnic school professional development program
• increasing the annual student subsidy for
Victoria’s 200 accredited ethnic schools from $100
to $120 per student
• funding for programs at regional Victorian
Schools of Languages in Warrnambool, Horsham,
Leongatha, Wodonga and Gisborne.
We will also provide:
• an additional $2 million over two years for
community harmony grants to strengthen CALD
women’s leadership capacity, establish a multi–
faith multicultural youth network to strengthen
youth participation and leadership, and fund
a community education program campaign to
complement Victoria’s annual Celebrate Our
Cultural Diversity Week
• $1 million in matching funding to develop the
DW Hope Centre in Norlane, Geelong. The new
multicultural centre will include aged care
services, child care facilities, meeting and training
services, artist spaces and employment facilities
• provide additional services—whether in the family home or
in community facilities—that are flexible and responsive to
individual family needs
• develop a carers’ charter that recognises the role of carers
and gives them a voice in policy development and service
delivery
• meet an increased demand for foster carers, reimbursing
them for the cost of caring for children and young people
placed in their care
page 29
• $0.5 million towards the construction of the
Frankston multicultural centre to improve the
existing Brotherhood of St Laurence community
precinct.
5.3 More help for women at critical times
We will invest $13.2 million to continue to provide
flexible grants of up to $1,000 for education or
training related costs, to assist parents, particularly
women, temporarily out of the paid workforce. A
further $1.2 million will develop an online toolkit to
provide advice on occupations available and areas
of skill shortages. Advice will also be available to
employers on ways to assist women to return to the
workforce. We will invest $1 million to fund a new
financial literacy training program to give women
living in the suburbs and regions access to a range of
information, both online and onsite.
• enable people to live at home independently with support and
care and provide flexible and responsive support and respite
for people with dementia and their families and carers
• extend support for older carers as they age, and partner
with parents to plan for the future of their adult children
once their parents are no longer able to do so
• improve the ability of the Network for Carers of People with
a Mental Illness to provide advocacy, advice and service
development to carers of people with a mental illness.
 Strategy 5
page 30
Strategy 5
5.4 Developing our drug and alcohol
strategy
Our current drug strategy commits significant funding
for programs to prevent drug use and reduce the
harm caused by both illegal and legal drugs. These
include expanding drug treatment services and
undertaking education programs about the harmful
effects of drugs, banning pill presses, utilising
clandestine drug buses to detect illegal drug use,
restricting tobacco advertising and implementing
smoking bans. We will now commit a further $148.1
million to maintain and strengthen drug prevention,
treatment and support services, including:
• $112.1 million for drug treatment programs
including pharmacotherapy, counselling, drug
withdrawal and residential treatment focusing
on young people, homeless people with a
mental illness, and Indigenous people with drug
problems
• $19.8 million to continue local drug hot spot
initiatives that have proved successful in Greater
Dandenong, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Port Philip
and Yarra
• $5.5 million to help support families affected by
drug use
• $10.6 million for prevention initiatives including
heroin overdose prevention, ice and cannabis
awareness campaigns and special education
initiatives targeting at risk groups such as
injecting drug users
We will also invest $7.5 million in 2006–07 to assist
community–based drug and alcohol agencies to
upgrade IT and perform minor capital works.
5.5 Improved public transport
An efficient and affordable public transport system
is an important way of delivering fairness and equity
to all Victorians. A feature of liveable communities
is that they increase access to transport thereby
creating opportunities for people with restricted
mobility choices (such as older people, people
with disabilities and young people) to participate
in community life and access services. We have
recognised the importance of providing all Victorians
with better access to public transport, investing $10.5
billion over the next 10 years through the Meeting Our
Transport Challenges (MOTC) strategy.
Under this strategy, a new $650 million cross–town
bus network with services running every 15 minutes
in peak times will link major activity centres and rail
services. In addition MOTC commits a further $640
million to improve and extend local bus services.
Under MOTC we committed more than $1.6 billion for
new trams and trains in metropolitan and provincial
Victoria.
5.6 Increased access to art and cultural
facilities and new partnerships
Local arts and cultural activities are essential
for building healthy and cohesive communities.
In consultation with local government and local
communities, we will provide a further $6.6 million
to build new and upgrade existing community arts
facilities across suburban Melbourne where such
facilities are needed most.
We will support a new innovative $7 million program
between all levels of the arts targeting disadvantaged
and underserved regional and suburban communities
through the Creative Communities initiative. A
further $7 million will be allocated to the Imagination
Unlimited program to support outreach, cultural
excursions, online and arts residency programs
that partner arts professionals with companies
to work with students, teachers and wider school
communities. Using the arts to engage young people,
the project will improve educational outcomes and
increase opportunities for all Victorians to participate
in statewide arts and cultural activity.
Strategy 6

page 31
Strategy 6
Making services more affordable

Financial hardship means some families often WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007

struggle to meet basic living costs, preventing them
from accessing services. We recognise that costs
must be manageable wherever possible and A Fairer
Victoria includes direct financial assistance in the
form of allowances and concessions for education,
public transport and council rates. We are also
implementing new and innovative ways of making
services more affordable for low income families.
We will continue to provide consumer protection and
provide special assistance for those in special need,
including updating our range of concessions. We will
also continue to provide additional support to people
living in drought affected communities.
6.1 A Fare Go for public transport users

We are committed to giving as many Victorians as

WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have made new information communication
technology more affordable for Victorians on low
incomes and provided assistance for people who
may have been prevented from obtaining fair credit.
We have also introduced new measures for people
experiencing difficulty paying energy costs and who
are at risk of having services cut off.
possible access to the services we all need. We have
promoted fairer access to public transport through
the Fare Go package, which from 4 March 2007 has
made public transport travel more affordable by:
• lowering fares across regional Victoria, including
an average fare reduction of 20 per cent on
V/Line tickets for both full fare and concession
passengers

Highlights include: • providing free travel in Zones 1 and 2 on services

• funding energy audits and retrofits of 1000 homes
occupied by pensioners in the West Heidelberg,
East Reservoir, Delacombe and Hastings
neighbourhood renewal areas, providing these
families with greater energy efficiency and
reduced energy hardship
• developing new hardship policies and programs to
ensure people do not have their energy supplies
cut off by gas and electricity companies
across metropolitan Melbourne with the purchase
of a V/Line ticket to central Melbourne
• removing Zone 3 and expanding Zone 2, thus
reducing fares to Zone 2 prices for commuters in
what was Zone 3
The cost of this initiative is not included in the total
spending on A Fairer Victoria but is listed elsewhere in
the 2007–08 Budget Papers.

• extending the Utility Relief Grants program to help

families pay their energy bills

• converting inefficient heating for concession card

holders to more cost efficient flued LPG heaters

• helping low income families save for their

children’s education through the Saver Plus
initiative and access no interest loans through the
No Interest Loan Scheme.
 Strategy 6
page 32
Strategy 6
6.2 Protecting consumers
We will protect consumers from predatory credit
and finance practices through targeted education
campaigns that address unfair credit contracts,
encourage more responsible lending practices
(especially in relation to credit cards) and provide
information on reverse mortgages to senior
Victorians.
We will deliver on our response to the Consumer
Credit review by implementing a comprehensive
package of measures to reduce the impact of credit
debt and financial hardship.
We will commence work on the introduction of
“lemon laws” – amendments to the Fair Trading Act
1985 to limit the number of repairs tolerated before
replacement of motor vehicles and other major
product purchases.
• “We are implementing new and innovative ways
of making services more affordable for low
income families.”
6.3 Helping reduce energy and water
costs
We will continue to help Victorians reduce energy
costs and their environmental footprint by investing
$2.1 million over four years to provide an additional
3000 low income households with free energy efficient
renovations that will help them save energy and
money and live more comfortably. This is in addition
to the 4000 homes already refitted.
The community will also benefit from:
• $5 million over four years to install solar panels
at 500 schools and community buildings,
giving them the capacity to generate their own
renewable energy.
• $20 million to continue the expanded Water Smart
Gardens and Homes rebate scheme which now
includes a $1000 rebate for large water tanks
(the program has already provided over 150,000
rebates to Victorian families, saving over 1 billion
litres (1 GL) of drinking water per year)
• $7.9 million over 4 years to fund a range of
water saving programs targeted at industry and
household water use, and forecast to save over
7 billion litres (7 GL) by 2008–09
• $16 million for water recycling projects that will
free up over 3.5 billion litres of drinking water
for households and provide recycled water to
drought–proof community and sport facilities in
Frankston.
 page 33
Diane and Graeme Reynolds and their family live in
Norlane. They were struggling to pay their water bills
but after a Smart Homes audit their water bills were
reduced by 20 per cent.
 Strategy 7
page 34
Strategy 7
Boosting access to affordable housing
Good quality, well located and low cost housing
plays a vital role in helping individuals, families
and neighbourhoods out of poverty. Affordable
housing provides the basis for completing a sound
education, obtaining and holding onto employment
and maintaining good health, yet many Victorians
on low incomes are unable to afford to buy their
own home. Increased demand for private rental
accommodation pushes rents higher and affordable
housing is often located away from jobs, services and
transport. In 2007, A Fairer Victoria provides significant
investment to give more low income Victorians
access to affordable housing close to services and job
opportunities.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have delivered more than 10,000 homes to
disadvantaged Victorians since 1999, including
more than 1400 new social housing units through
partnerships with not–for–profit housing agencies,
private developers, local governments, VicUrban
and other organisations. By June 2007, we will
have invested nearly $1.9 billion in redeveloping,
maintaining and upgrading public and community
managed housing. We have also delivered better
services and support for homeless Victorians.
Highlights include:
• developing a new framework to address our
future housing challenges, Towards an Integrated
Victorian Housing Strategy, with a focus on
ensuring housing and residential development
that supports the Government’s wider economic,
social and environmental sustainability objectives
• providing funding of more than $125 million for
partnerships with five not–for–profit housing
associations, a registered housing provider and
other agencies to build $160 million worth of new
homes and expected to deliver more than 650 new
homes by 30 June 2007
• embarking on two innovative pilots using State
and federal funding to support young people in
housing crisis reconnect with family and friends,
school, and training or employment opportunities;
to help them move from crisis accommodation to
independent living; and to help people at risk of
homelessness with mental health and substance
use issues move into stable long–term housing
• reducing housing–specific tax burdens, resulting
in first homebuyers in Victoria paying less in
stamp duty now than they did in 1999.

WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
We will continue to boost the supply of social housing
and provide additional support for homeless people.
By strengthening legislation, we will better protect
tenants including people living in rooming houses
and caravan parks. We will continue to press for
more action and funding from the Commonwealth
Government to improve housing affordability for all
Victorians whether buying their first home or renting,
and we will take an integrated, cross–government
approach to housing, including further developing
and implementing the integrated Victorian Housing
Strategy.
page 35
7.3 Additional support for homeless
Victorians
We will provide $7.5 million over four years for the
innovative Support for Young People that Really
Counts program, which combines accommodation
with practical support for 16–19 year olds in housing
crisis.
We will also provide $2.1 million to train
homelessness support service workers and
implement an accreditation system for homelessness
service providers, and we will invest $0.8 million to
provide legal assistance for homeless people coming
before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

7.1 Investment in social housing 7.4 More protection for tenants

We will provide a record $500 million new investment
in social and public housing to ensure that Victorians
have access to affordable accommodation. This
investment will tackle the shortage of social housing
and stimulate building activity. It will provide $300
million to leverage non–government equity for
1550 units for social housing managed by housing
associations, with an additional $200 million to
provide 800 units of public housing. This will deliver a
total of 2350 new or re–developed dwellings over four
years. This is the largest single investment ever made
by a state government in Australia and will boost the
total investment in stock to more than $1.4 billion.
We are developing a Residential Accommodation
Strategy to improve the regulation of rooming houses,
including strengthening and standardising legislation;
improving coordination and compliance activities
under the Residential Tenancies Act 1980 and the
Health Act 1958; and developing targeted information
for residents regarding their rights and avenues for
assistance.
We will ensure residents of mobile homes and
caravan parks are protected by appropriate
residential tenancy laws.

7.2 Affordable homes for Victorian

families

In partnership with local and federal government,

non–government agencies and the private sector,
we will continue to implement strategies to make
housing more affordable. This includes making the
urban planning system more responsive to housing
costs, fostering joint public and private sector
development projects, investigating new financing
options, and developing improved indicators of
housing affordability.

We will also advocate for a more broadly based

agreement between the Commonwealth and states to
address housing needs and pursue an increased and
fairer share of funding from 2008.
 Strategy 8
page 36
Strategy 8
Improving access to justice
Access to justice plays a critical role in addressing
disadvantage and increasing opportunity, and our
legal processes must ensure all Victorians have
access to legal remedies when they need them. We
are committed to providing a more responsive justice
system for all individuals and communities. Through
A Fairer Victoria, we are ensuring vulnerable Victorians
have access to court services and legal advice.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have improved access to, and the responsiveness
of, the legal system for disadvantaged groups in our
community, including victims of crime. We have also
provided new protection for human rights and better
access to legal information, advice and assistance.
Highlights include:
• establishing innovative new forums such as
Australia’s first Neighbourhood Justice Centre in
Collingwood, seven new Koori courts including
Australia’s first Koori children’s court, and two
new mediation pilots
• enacting new sexual assault laws to ensure
complainants and witnesses are treated
appropriately during court proceedings, and
judges and legal professionals are more aware of
sexual assault issues
• implementing new treatment programs
for children and young people exhibiting
inappropriate sexualised behaviour and better
managing serious sex offenders
• developing Victoria’s first Charter of Human
Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 for
implementation across Government departments,
with assistance from the new Human Rights Unit
in the Department of Justice
• increasing funding for Legal Aid and community
legal centres (from $28 million in 2000 to $41
million in 2007) including five new community
legal offices across Victoria and three new Victoria
Legal Aid offices
• developing the Victims Charter to ensure victims
are treated with respect and compassion and
receive a sensitive response from the justice
system
• the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM)
establishing a clinical nursing framework to
provide timely forensic examinations to adult
victims of assault, particularly sexual assault.

WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
We are continuing to provide greater human rights
protections in Victoria. We are providing assistance
for homeless people coming before the courts
and protecting workers from discrimination. And
we will continue to protect the most vulnerable
users of the court system, including through more
support for community legal centres. We will reduce
discrimination by establishing a relationship register,
so that people in a committed relationship have proof
to allow them access to existing entitlements, without
having to go to court.
page 37
8.1 Expand community and legal aid
support
We will provide $8.8 million to expand our community
and legal aid support. We will fund five rural
and regional community lawyers to provide legal
advice to residents in smaller regional and rural
towns experiencing hardship, and will expand the
community legal centre presence at Rosebud.
Changes to Legal Aid guidelines will enable those
families in rural and regional areas struggling from
the effects of drought to obtain legal assistance
for civil matters such as financing, mortgage and
contractual issues.
8.2 Support victims of crime
We will provide $8.4 million to increase State–funded
compensation for victims of crime who are eligible
under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996. The
30 per cent increase in compensation available to the
tribunal increases existing awards for the first time
since their introduction in 2000.
8.3 Increase protection for Victorian
workers
We will strengthen the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 to
ensure workers are not discriminated against if they
ask for family–friendly working arrangements or if
they question their pay or conditions of employment.
Vulnerable workers need legal protection in such
circumstances, and changes to State laws are
needed given the recent erosion of federal legislative
protection from unfair dismissal. We will provide
$0.7 million as additional resources for the Equal
Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to
respond to the changes in the Act.
 Strategy 3
CASE STUDY
page 38

Case Study > SHEPPARTON

New opportunities for Indigenous young people in Shepparton

Shepparton has one of the largest Aboriginal communities in Victoria with

up to 2000 Aboriginal residents. Like other Indigenous communities it has a
high percentage of young people. 57 per cent of Aboriginal people in Victoria
are under 25, compared to 34 per cent in the non–Aboriginal community. And
a major concern is that Aboriginal students are only about half as likely to
complete year 12. However these students perform well at TAFE with more
than two thirds completing these courses and going on to further studies.

That is why through A Fairer Victoria the Government has provided $2.7 million
to the Academy of Sport and Health Education (ASHE). This is an innovative
education and training model that takes young people’s interest in sport as an
entry point for broader vocational pathways. This case study shows how A Fairer
Victoria is supporting new approaches in places around Victoria that meet the
specific needs of local communities.
 page 39
Darren Turner is wise beyond his years. Darren said graduating from ASHE put him in the
enviable position of being offered work.
The 21– year– old works as a Koori Education Officer
at Shepparton’s Gowrie Street Primary School, “ASHE is well respected around here. People are
making sure Indigenous students are enjoying their always asking for graduates to come and work with
time at school and developing an interest in learning them,” he adds.
and education.
ASHE is a partnership between the University of
“I work one–on–one with kids, assess how they are Melbourne and Rumbalara Football Netball Club,
going and make sure they are coping, and being fed providing education opportunities to Shepparton’s
at home and at school,” says Darren. Indigenous community. ASHE is tapping into the
Indigenous community’s passion for sport to develop
“It’s a big challenge –some kids are hard to get
diverse pathways into employment and further
through to, but you just keep working and working
education.
and to show them you’re going to be around, not just
someone who nicks off after five minutes.” With funding provided through A Fairer Victoria, ASHE
was able to provide its students with extra field trips,
Working with young Indigenous children is Darren’s
guest speakers and career counselling.
passion and something he never imagined he would
be doing. Darren now has a clear vision of how he plans to
make a difference to other young people in his
“I was a good football player and was going to sign up
community.
with an AFL team when I was 17,” Darren says.
“I’m really passionate about being a role model and
“But being a young father at the time, it wasn’t the
becoming a full–time mentor,” he says.
right decision for me.”
“I want to give our young people a direction and the
Darren graduated from the Academy of Sport Health
best chance in life.”
and Education (ASHE) in Shepparton last year after
completing Certificate II and III in Sport (Career
Orientated Participation). The program gave him
exposure to organising events, working with children
and developing computer skills.
“The environment at ASHE is encouraging.
Everybody is in the same situation, pushing each
other to be here,” he says.

Funding for ASHE builds on other A Fairer Victoria initiatives responding to the special needs of
Shepparton identified by that community. These include the In Home Support Service for Aboriginal
Families, Neighbourhood Renewal, Youth Transition Brokers, and an Aboriginal Workforce Participation
Partnership. This is in addition to the efforts of government and community partners through the
COAG trial, which has included supported play groups in schools, an integrated hub for Aboriginal early
childhood and family services, the Youth at the Centre leadership project, individual learning plans in
schools, the Ladders to Success employment project, a ‘Respect Package’ for schools, and a Community
Planning and Policy Unit.
 Support for
page 40

Support for Disadvantaged Groups

Disadvantaged Groups
We will introduce innovative approaches to help disadvantaged groups access
the services and opportunities available to other members of the Victorian
community.

Strategy 9: Building a new partnership with Indigenous Victorians

Strategy 10: Creating new opportunities for people with a disability
Strategy 11: Increasing support for mental health services
Strategy 9
Strategy 9
Building a new partnership with Indigenous Victorians
A Fairer Victoria provides unprecedented investment
in programs to address Indigenous dispossession
and disadvantage because we need to work in new
ways with Indigenous communities to bring about
real change. Initiatives have been designed to break
the cycle of disadvantage faced by many Indigenous
Victorians, including low rates of school achievement
and high rates of unemployment, imprisonment and
ill health.
page 41
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
Following consultation, we have introduced
new Indigenous community engagement and
representative arrangements. We are adopting new
approaches to delivering services in Indigenous
communities and have funded new projects to provide
Indigenous Victorians with the skills to participate
in the State’s economic development. We also
continue to acknowledge the importance of Victoria’s
Indigenous history and culture and the vital role
played by Victoria’s Indigenous communities.
Highlights include:
• funding new and innovative community
enterprises in south–west Victoria (through the
Aboriginal Land and Economic Development
Program), which focuses on the region’s cultural
and tourism attributes and generates jobs for
Indigenous people, builds new links with the
corporate sector, and improves partnerships
that support local communities. The South
West Aboriginal Tourism Network is promoting
these community enterprises nationally and
internationally
• developing the Aboriginal Tourism Development
Plan 2006–2009 with support from the Aboriginal
Land and Economic Development Program to
promote Victoria’s Aboriginal cultural attractions
throughout the tourism industry
• developing a new model of primary health care for
Aboriginal people with chronic disease within nine
geographical areas across Victoria. The model
has been implemented through the Aboriginal
Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership
and is supported by the Victorian Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health Organisation and
the Department of Human Services
 Strategy 9
page 42
Strategy 9
• recognising Gunditjmara native title rights over
almost 140,000 hectares of Crown lands and
waters (formally recognised by the Federal Court
on 30 March 2007), including a Cooperative
Management Agreement for Mount Eccles
National Park, funding over five years for the
new Gunditjmara native title body corporate, and
transferring Crown land at Lake Condah to the
Gunditjmara native title body corporate
• enacting the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and
establishing the Aboriginal Heritage Council.
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
The Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs will
continue to drive reforms to improve outcomes for
Indigenous Victorians. Outcomes will be measured
against the strategic change indicators contained in
the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework. We will
introduce new measures to lift maternal and child
health, encourage early literacy and numeracy, and
provide the building blocks for a safer and stronger
future for Indigenous families and communities.
9.1 Improving the lives of young
Indigenous Victorians
We will invest $8.6 million so that Indigenous
children get the best start in life. We will provide
subsidised access of up to 10 hours per week of
kindergarten for three–year old Aboriginal children
whose parents hold an eligible concession card. We
will expand the capacity of the Koori Early Childhood
Education Program, placing preschool assistants
in early childhood education centres to work with
Aboriginal children, and we will help these workers
increase preschool participation rates and ensure the
successful transition of Koori children to school. We
will also provide a new home–based early childhood
enrichment program, initially in three priority
locations, to engage Aboriginal parents early in the
education of their children.
We will provide $1.1 million to the Koori Maternity
Services program to enable ongoing support at
Echuca and Dandenong on top of the existing eight
participating Aboriginal Health Cooperatives.
Data, information and monitoring are crucial for
shaping policy and for ensuring decision makers
focus their efforts and effectively evaluate new
program initiatives. This includes $2.9 million to
implement a comprehensive survey to report on the
safety, health, development, learning and wellbeing
of Victorian Aboriginal children and young people.
This research will support future policy and program
development, particularly education, health and
community service delivery.
9.2 Building the capacity of Indigenous
communities
We will continue to support Indigenous community
organisations to improve their organisational capacity
and community leadership.
We will provide $2.1 million to continue the
Governance Training Program (GTP), which will
offer four introductory workshops per year for
approximately 25 participants per workshop, and
three Certificate IV courses for 15 participants per

course. With an estimated 700–900 Indigenous
Victorians employed in the Indigenous community
sector, we expect to provide training to all currently
eligible participants over the next four years.
We will provide $1.8 million to support the next phase
of the Koori Business Network to address barriers
faced by Indigenous people entering small business,
and assist existing Indigenous business operators to
increase their commerciality.
We will foster Indigenous leadership by providing $0.5
million for the Victorian Indigenous Youth Advisory
Council.
We will provide $2.6 million to:
• support the COAG community trial in Shepparton
• extend the commitment to improve the
administration of the Lake Tyers Aboriginal
Trust, providing funding to help the Trust meet its
statutory obligations
• continue the Government’s commitment to
streamline funding agreements for Indigenous
community organisations.
9.3 Local Indigenous community
partnerships
We will establish 4 local Indigenous community
partnership projects across Victoria—in Mildura, Lakes
Entrance, Darebin and Casey. A Departmental secretary
will lead each of these projects to lift outcomes for
Indigenous children and young people in line with the
Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework. The projects
are designed to find solutions, for example, ensuring
Koori students attend school and are immunised at an
early age. They may also lead to the establishment of
local support bases for parents and students, building
school readiness, and identifying local champions to
help parents and encourage transitions into further
education and training.
page 43
9.4 Continuing the Aboriginal Justice
Agreement
Koori Courts are dramatically reducing re–offending
rates within Indigenous communities. We will deliver
two new Koori Courts in Mildura and Swan Hill,
building on the successful operation of the Koori
Courts in Shepparton, Broadmeadows, the Latrobe
Valley, Warrnambool, Bairnsdale, and in a Children’s
Court Division of the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
We will provide two additional Koori liaison officers
to assist Koori offenders into court diversion and
support programs. We will continue to target young
Koories in contact with (or at risk of entering) the
juvenile justice system to improve their life chances.
And we will expand the Community Support for
Indigenous Offenders program to reduce the rate at
which Koories breach community based orders.
9.5 Improving Indigenous educational
outcomes
While there have been improvements in some areas
of educational performance, there is still a large and
unacceptable gap between Indigenous and non–
Indigenous students on almost all major measures.
The Government is committed to improving
outcomes for Indigenous students. The Department
of Education, in consultation with the Victorian
Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated, will
review programs and practices to inform future
education provision for Indigenous students.
 Strategy 10
page 44
Strategy 10
Creating new opportunities for people with a disability
We want to ensure Victorians with a disability can
participate fully in community life and that services
for people with a disability provide them with
maximum choice and opportunity in the way they
live their lives. A Fairer Victoria focuses on ensuring
Victoria is a more supportive and accessible place for
people with a disability and their families and carers.
Our programs and actions are designed to assist
people with a disability remain living independently in
their own homes, have greater control over their own
lives, and participate fully in the economic and social
life of Victoria, including preparing for and entering
the workforce.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have provided a broader range of services for
people with a disability, tailored services to better
meet individual needs and increased the range of
supports available to families and carers. We are
working to ensure the built environment is more
accessible, including access to transport and
buildings, and are listening to the views of people with
a disability through the Disability Advisory Council of
Victoria.
Highlights include:
• providing assistance to 421 families caring for
children with a disability through the Signposts to
Better Behaviour program, providing equipment
to 1271 people to increase personal independence
and mobility, and providing more individually
tailored services to 140 people with a disability
• establishing the Disability Housing Trust to
increase investment in housing options for
people with disabilities with it purchasing 17 new
residential sites with 18 more under construction
• increasing access to public transport for people
with a disability with over 140 new tram stops (150
more planned) and over 400 new bus stops that
comply with provisions in the Disability Act 2006
• providing new opportunities for people with a
disability to participate in a wider range of sport
and recreation activities including volunteering,
coaching, administration and on–field
participation.
 page 45
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007 10.1 Supporting more people with a
disability
We will provide additional accommodation and
We will invest an additional $29.8 million over five
support, aids and equipment, home modifications,
years to provide additional aids and equipment such
improved IT accessibility and for the first time we
as wheelchairs and prostheses, and assist with home
will fund vehicle modifications. We will also improve
modifications. For the first time this funding will
opportunities for people with a disability to participate
also help people modify vehicles. We will also fund
in the workforce and provide new shared supported
libraries where people can exchange equipment they
accommodation.
have outgrown or have equipment repaired.

A further $70 million over four years will be invested

to create flexible, personal accommodation and
support packages for 1300 people with a disability.

An additional $26.6 million will be provided to ensure

community service organisations can continue to
meet the cost of providing quality services.

We will also spend $15 million on grants for

community–managed disability supported
accommodation services. This funding will be used to
modify facilities and provide essential equipment to
improve client amenity and independence.

We will provide $3 million over four years for new

equipment; computer modifications; training and
assistive technology and IT support to community
residential units; and for the conversion of Vision
Australia’s national library from analogue to digital
which will give people who are blind and vision
impaired (and who can access only around 5 per cent
of the information available to those who are sighted)
greater independence. We will also improve access
to Auslan interpreters, funding a new centralised
interpreter base connected by webcam and video
and accessible where services are most needed—in
hospitals, government offices and medical clinics in
rural and regional Victoria.
 Strategy 10
page 46

Strategy 10

10.2 Living in the community 10.3 Improving awareness

We will invest $15 million over four years to provide Through the Office for Disability, we will raise
new accommodation and support options for people awareness of disability issues by promoting the
with a disability and to renew and replace existing diverse achievements of people with disabilities. We
Community Residential Units throughout Victoria. will also continue an education campaign to promote
greater understanding and awareness of accessible
We will provide $12.3 million over three years (2008–
building issues within the construction industry and
10) to expand the Slow to Recover program, reduce
the broader community.
waiting lists and provide increased assessments, case
management and support for 300 Victorians each To improve recruitment, retention and promotion of
year with acquired brain injury. people with a disability in the public sector workforce,
we will develop the Victorian Government Disability
We will provide $13.5 million to continue and improve
Employment Strategy through the Office for Disability,
the successful Futures for Young Adults program.
the State Services Authority, the Department of
This program has played a critical role in helping
Human Services, and peak community, disability and
young people with a disability (and their families)
employment organisations.
navigate the range of post–school options for a
successful transition into further education or the We will commit $1.6 million over four years to
workforce. provide 200 subsidised places under the Disability
Trainee Scheme. This will ensure more people with
We will commit $15.7 million to extend support for
a disability participate in the workforce. We will also
older carers as the ageing of the population affects
invest $0.5 million to assist carers of people with a
parents who support children with a disability. We will
disability wishing to re–enter the workforce.
also join with parents to plan for the future of these
adult children and plan their care once parents are no
longer able to do so.

Through the Accessible Housing Program, we will

increase the supply of accessible housing that
meets the needs of people with a disability now
and into the future. We will work with industry and
local government on a range of initiatives including
a Homes for Life guideline. We will also promote
greater understanding and awareness of accessible
building issues and develop low cost/no cost
accessibility options for ground floor apartments in
new medium density developments and in 20 per cent
of units in new high density apartment blocks.
Strategy 11

page 47
Strategy 11
Increasing support for mental health services

Poor mental health significantly reduces life chances Community based highlights include:
and can contribute to homelessness, unemployment,
• providing services for mothers suffering post–
criminal behaviour and family breakdown. A Fairer
natal mental illness at Southern Health, Austin
Victoria includes substantial investment in mental
Health and Werribee Mercy Hospital
health services in 2007 to improve the lives of those
Victorians experiencing mental health problems. • increasing counselling services through 19
By adopting new approaches, integrating services, community health centres across the State.
building new facilities and redeveloping old ones, we
can provide immediate benefits to affected people Acute care highlights include:
and their families. The State will also gain significant • improving hospital based care by funding a new
long–term economic benefits as we help more people 10–place Prevention and Recovery Care service
back into the workforce. in Geelong, 18 beds for forensic mental health
services at Thomas Embling Hospital, and 15
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
additional mental health positions in emergency
By establishing a Minister for Mental Health and departments at Barwon, Bendigo, Mildura, Austin,
a Mental Health and Drugs Division within the Northern, The Alfred, Werribee Mercy, Sunshine
Department of Human Services, we are committing to and the Royal Children’s hospitals
improving the mental health of all Victorians. We are
• redeveloping the former Ambermere psychiatric
providing new early intervention, community based
hospital in Shepparton to create a 10–place
beds, and acute services for both young people and
Prevention and Recovery Care unit for people who
adults. And through the new Dual Diagnosis program,
need short–term sub–acute care and building
we are building capabilities in mental health and
a 10–place community care unit for people who
drug and alcohol workers so they can better diagnose
need extended care; and relocating the Bouverie
and treat patients. We are also ensuring that mental
Centre to the new Brunswick Human Services
health and drug and alcohol service delivery is better
precinct.
aligned and developing better links to homeless
support services.
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
Early intervention highlights include:
We will continue to implement reform as part of
• more early intervention services targeting children our commitment to COAG’s National Action Plan on
and young people experiencing their first episode Mental Health. We will provide additional support
of psychosis, including Youth Early Psychosis for carers, increase mental health capacity in major
services for those aged 16–25 years hospital emergency departments, complete the roll
out of the Youth Early Psychosis program across the
• undertaking conduct disorder programs at
State and increase capacity of psychiatric disability
Bendigo Health and the Austin Hospital for
rehabilitation and support services. We will build new
primary school aged children with emerging
acute, sub–acute and extended care beds in mental
behaviour disorders
health facilities.
• developing the Families where a Parent has a
Mental Illness program to support children who
have a parent with a mental illness.
 Strategy 11
page 48
Strategy 11
11.1 New strategic directions for mental
health
We will develop a new whole of government strategic
plan for mental health in Victoria, building on the key
policy directions in the National Action Plan on Mental
Health. Future investment will support better mental
health outcomes and ensure support for people with
a mental illness remains a priority for Government.
We will continue to work with the Commonwealth
through COAG for a stronger and more accessible
primary mental health service system, improved
access to private services for people with a serious
mental illness, care coordination, and stronger links
between the public and private sectors.
11.2 Expand youth early psychosis services
We will invest $10 million to deliver treatment
to up to 400 additional young people, completing
the statewide rollout of the Youth Early Psychosis
program. The program, which increases rates of
recovery and reduces preventable relapse through
earlier identification, intervention and prevention,
and intensive clinical treatment, targets 16–25 year
olds, including those experiencing concurrent mental
health and alcohol and other drug problems. New
services will be provided at Bayside Health, Austin
Health, Melbourne Health (Northern Area Mental
Health Service) and St Vincent’s Health.
11.3 Network for carers of people with a
mental illness
We will provide $0.2 million over four years to the
Network for Carers of People with a Mental Illness.
These funds will improve the network’s ability to
provide advocacy, advice and services to carers of
people with a mental illness.
11.4 New mental health facilities
We will improve access to psychiatric disability
rehabilitation and support services in areas of high
need, and to provide accommodation support for
vulnerable individuals.
We will invest $8.3 million to improve the mental
health response at major hospital emergency
departments and help meet periods of peak demand.
We will invest $25.6 million in capital funding to
provide 25 new acute beds at the Northern Hospital
and 40 new Prevention and Recovery Care beds in
Deer Park, Preston and Broadmeadows, and $1.5
million to begin redevelopment of the Veterans Mental
Health Facility at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital.
We will also provide $1.7 million in recurrent
funding to support 15 newly constructed psychiatric
residential beds at the McKellar Centre in Geelong
and 10 beds at the Regina Coeli facility at North
Melbourne. We will make a further investment of
$12.9 million for 5 beds at Maroondah Hospital,
and expansion of community mental health at
Craigieburn.
11.5 Recreation opportunities for people
with a mental illness
In partnership with the YMCA, we will provide better
access to camping opportunities for people with a
mental illness. This initiative will ensure the Access
and Participation and Industry Mentoring project
delivers enhanced community outcomes by:
• improving access to holistic therapy for people
with a mental illness
• improving diversity of program/therapy options
for service delivery agencies in the mental health
sector
• enhancing the capacity of outdoor educators to
engage with the mental health sector.
11.6 Supporting Community Organisations
Delivering Services
We will provide $7.5 million to enable community–
based mental health agencies to upgrade their
facilities. Improved IT and minor capital works will
make it easier for staff at these agencies to support
people with a mental illness.
 page 49
April Fitzgerald has Williams Syndrome and lives
at Viewmont Terrace where she attends life skills
classes and women’s groups. She hopes one day to
live independently.
 Strategy
CASE 3
STUDY
page 50

Case Study > BROADMEADOWS

Bringing communities together in Broadmeadows

Broadmeadows is a highly diverse community with many families born overseas

or newly arrived. But unemployment is high, school completion is low, and
levels of involvement in community life – in local action groups, in sport,
parental involvement in schools – are well below the state average.

monstrosity’ in which she lived, Kerry signed up to

Before neighbourhood renewal began in
the Housing and Environment Working Group.
Broadmeadows in 2003, Kerry Wilkins was, in her
own words, “a real mouse”. Kerry was appointed co–chair on the Broadmeadows
Advisory Team and this, she says, was a real turning
Kerry had been out of the paid workforce for more
point. For the first time, she engaged as an equal
than 30 years when she responded to a call for
with representatives from local government and
residents to join local working groups as part
other community agencies. The views she expressed
of the Broadmeadows Neighbourhood Renewal
and the ideas she and other community members put
project. Concerned about the quality of housing in
forward were really listened to, and contributed to
the Broadmeadows area, particularly the ‘concrete
real and positive change.
 page 51
In 2005, Kerry’s volunteer involvement in Kerry is one of 33 Broadmeadows residents who
Neighbourhood Renewal led to a 10–week TAFE have found work through the local Neighbourhood
course in leadership training, followed by a Renewal program.
Certificate III in Office Administration.
Four years on, more than 200 homes have been
The following year, Kerry was approached to upgraded in her local area and Kerry has just moved
take part in the Passport to Work Program which out of her concrete house and into a brand new Office
is designed to equip participants with valuable of Housing home in Dallas. Although she now lives
job–ready skills and the confidence to obtain outside the Neighbourhood Renewal area, she will
employment. continue to work for and volunteer with the program.
Under the partnership (with Neighbourhood As Kerry herself says, neighbourhood renewal has
Renewal, Juno Consulting, Hume City Council and not only contributed to the physical renewal of her
Pacific National), 18 employees from local rail neighbourhood: it has also transformed her from a
freight company Pacific National each mentored a shy and timid mouse, into the ‘mouse that roared’!
Broadmeadows resident during a 12–week job search
program. Mentors acted as role models and coached
participants, providing valuable advice and feedback
on their job search efforts. Mentors also reinforced
participants’ skills and knowledge and helped them
recognise their abilities.
With the help of her mentor, Kerry completed the
program and gained an administrative position with
Pacific National on a permanent part–time basis.
More recently, she has started an administration
traineeship with Homeground Services, an agency
working in the area of homelessness, housing,
community development and social change. She is
working three days a week providing vital support at the
Broadmeadows Neighbourhood Renewal Shop Front.

While neighbourhood renewal is making a real impact, it is only the beginning of our work in
Broadmeadows. Through A Fairer Victoria and other Government investments we have also provided
targeted support for family violence initiatives, established the Koori Court, provided extra help for job
seekers through a Workforce Participation Partnership, and we are undertaking a major project to
regenerate all Government schools in Broadmeadows.
 Support for
page 52

Support for Disadvantaged Places

Disadvantaged Places
We will introduce innovative approaches to help disadvantaged groups access
the services and opportunities available to other members of the Victorian
community.

Strategy 12: Building stronger communities

Strategy 12
Strategy 12
Building stronger communities
Strong communities, where people are actively
involved in community life, have better health,
higher school retention rates and lower rates
of unemployment and crime. People who live in
disadvantaged communities can feel isolated and
stigmatised. These communities can be especially
difficult for children, where expectations can be low
and support limited.
We know from evidence such as the Jesuit Social
Services report, Dropping Off the Edge, that
communities with high levels of participation and
social connectedness are better placed to deal with
disadvantage. Communities are stronger and people
are empowered when they are directly involved in
making improvements in their local neighbourhoods
and when they can have a say in matters important
to them. This is why A Fairer Victoria includes a new
approach to increase participation and build on the
economic, human, natural and social assets of local
neighbourhoods, suburbs and towns.
page 53
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have helped people in local communities learn
new skills in innovative training environments, in local
jobs, in new enterprises, and through volunteering,
sporting and other community events. We are also
investing with partners to improve community assets
and participation by developing and promoting
community facilities, local leadership, community
enterprises, social networks and community
activities.
Highlights include:
• reinvigorating the physical and social
infrastructure of disadvantaged communities by
funding 19 neighbourhood renewal sites. Over the
last 5 years, this work has enabled 4600 residents
to obtain jobs and 30 social enterprises to be
established, which will continue to create 130 jobs
each year. Crime rates have also been reduced
(for example, by 35 per cent at Parkside Estate
in Shepparton) and more than 5000 houses have
been upgraded
• building 12 new and redeveloping 52 existing
neighbourhood houses, and improving the
computer facilities/Internet access of 56 houses
• increasing payments to neighbourhood house
coordinators and funding extra hours for services
• undertaking community building initiatives in
102 small towns across Victoria, which saw 2600
people participate in community workshops to
identify priorities needing action (for example,
drought, community transport, sport and
recreation, community centres and business
development) and establish project teams
• providing 19 new bus services in Melbourne and
17 in regional Victoria, extending four existing
bus routes in Melbourne and 13 in regional
Victoria, and extending 61 service hours (evenings
and weekends) in Melbourne and 30 in regional
Victoria
• funding more than 1700 aquatic and sporting
facility projects across Victorian communities,
which resulted in participation in sport and active
recreation increasing from 77 per cent in 2001 to
85 per cent today.
 Strategy 12
page 54
Strategy 12
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007
We will continue our investment in communities
and community infrastructure, including libraries
and neighbourhood houses, and encourage greater
sharing of community and school facilities. We will
also fund additional community projects identified
and developed by local residents and encourage
community activity projects and community harmony
initiatives.
12.1 School and community partnerships
Schools with strong links to their communities can
improve student learning and family involvement in
education, and increase the use of facilities. We will
support partnerships between schools, local councils
and community organisations to develop facilities for
shared use (including co–location with schools) such
as sports fields, swimming pools, performing arts
centres and libraries. The focus will be new schools
in growth corridors and school regeneration projects
being funded through our major investment in school
buildings. We will provide guidance about how to
succeed with school and community partnerships and
simplify funding application processes.
New schools will be constructed on greenfield
sites in Berwick, Wyndham Vale, Caroline Springs,
Craigieburn and Pakenham. Regeneration projects
to improve educational opportunities are underway in
Altona, Broadmeadows, Bendigo, Colac, Dandenong,
Echuca, Laverton, Wangaratta and Western Heights.
12.2 Additional support for libraries
We will provide $15 million to extend the successful
Living Libraries program and improve inadequate
public library facilities in disadvantaged and growth
areas in Victoria. This funding will provide new and
refurbished library buildings and mobile libraries for
council and regional library services.
The Premier’s Reading Challenge is designed to
keep children reading throughout their schooling. To
ensure children across Victoria have access to the full
range of books needed to participate in the Reading
Challenge we will distribute $5 million to local
libraries and $1 million to school libraries for the
purchase of books on the Reading Challenge list.
12.3 Investing in neighbourhood houses
and adult education
We will provide $5 million to enable neighbourhood
houses to upgrade, redevelop or co–locate, to provide
information and communication technology and to
purchase essential infrastructure. We will also invest

$4 million to fund equipment grants of up to $5000
for Adult Community Education (ACE) providers and
the Centre for Adult Education and Adult Multicultural
Education Services.
12.4 Expanding community renewal
We will provide $4 million to expand the successful
Community Renewal Program to Chelsea and
Rosebud West. This program adds to projects
already underway in Frankston North, Laverton
and Whittington in Geelong, and those planned
to commence later this year in Bayswater North,
Craigieburn and Hampton Park.
12.5 Investing in transit cities
We are investing in our new transit cities to improve
urban design, transport options and access to
services and job opportunities. This program will
revitalise suburban and regional centres by creating
affordable housing close to transport and improving
access to employment opportunities.
In Footscray, a major redesign and upgrade of the
Nicholson Street mall and train station will revitalise
the precinct, increase safety and improve access to
employment, training and social networks. We will
develop pedestrian access by linking the Geelong
station precinct to Malop Street and improve access
to jobs and services. And at Ringwood, we are
investigating the feasibility of integrating the station
precinct with Eastland and the proposed town square
across the Maroondah Highway.
The cost of this initiative is not included in the total
spending on A Fairer Victoria but is listed elsewhere in
the 2007–08 Budget Papers.
page 55
12.6 Supporting community sports
We are investing $25.9 million from the
Commonwealth Games surplus to:
• develop multi–use sports surfaces in 12
Government secondary and 11 high–need
Government primary schools; relocate temporary
pools and timing equipment used for the
Melbourne 2007 FINA World Championships
across the community; and develop five
new multi–sport indoor stadium projects in
Montmorency, Broadmeadows, Altona, Moe and
the City of Casey
• fund 28 State Sporting Associations through the
Supporting Grassroots Sport program to help
clubs and associations increase participation and
build their membership
• provide $1.5 million to clubs in disadvantaged
areas for the purchase of essential uniforms for
players in organised sporting competitions, to
ensure cost is not a barrier to people participating
in sport.
The Go for your life programs funded in the 06/07
budget are also being rolled out – including measures
to increase physical activity amongst disadvantaged
groups:
• $165,000 to fund two pilot projects that break
down barriers to participation in physical activity
for CALD communities, address disadvantage,
and provide opportunities for engagement
through physical activity projects.
• $1.4 million to increase physical activity
opportunities for all Victorians, particularly
those with low or no current participation in
physical activity. Communities experiencing
identified disadvantage will be targeted through
community–based projects and a focus on
capacity building.
 Strategy 12
page 56
Strategy 12
12.7 Supporting drought affected
communities
We will invest a further $1.9 million through the
Drought Relief for Community Sport and Recreation
Program. This program will help local communities
in the 70 Victorian municipalities currently on Stage
3 (or higher) water restrictions develop sustainable
approaches to water management and reduce the
impact of the drought on local sport and recreation
facilities.
We will provide further support to drought affected
communities by providing $3.1 million for drought
counselling assistance to enable families and
individuals to access appropriate support services. We
will also provide $3.3 million in regional community
infrastructure grants to 47 regional councils that are
exceptional circumstances declared.
Recognising the important role women play in
strengthening rural communities, we will provide
$0.7 million for a new Women Managing Drought
and Climate Change initiative. This program will
fund five people part–time for two years in regional
communities (Hume, Loddon Mallee, Grampians,
Gippsland and Barwon South West) to encourage
rural women to get together, share information about
the drought and the approach in their communities,
and help extend supportive networks. A national
conference on Women, Managing Drought and
Climate Change will also be sponsored in partnership
with the community sector and other organisations.
We will provide a relief package for schools to help
students and their families in drought affected areas
of the state. This will help ease the costs of transport
to school and of learning essentials such as text
books and stationery. This package will fund drought
support to students and families and it will also help
schools link up with local support services.
We have also amended the eligibility rules for a
municipal rates subsidy to assist drought affected
farmers across Victoria. The municipal rates subsidy
scheme is one of a number of Victorian Government
initiatives for farmers declared by the federal
government to be eligible for drought relief.
12.8 Supporting bushfire affected
communities
We are working with communities and councils
to help them recover from the impact of last
summer’s bushfires. We are addressing financial
hardship, rebuilding and restoring community
assets, supporting local business and equipping our
volunteers for the future.
We will provide $3 million to extend the Valuing
Volunteers Programs to encourage more people to
get involved with the CFA, SES and other volunteer
groups, including training for volunteers working with
them.
We will fund a total of $3.1 million in support of bush
fire affected communities to provide:
• the municipalities of Alpine, Mansfield, Wellington,
Latrobe City, East Gippsland and Wangaratta
Rural City with $300,000 to aid their bushfire
recovery needs
• these six municipalities with $480,000 to employ
community development officers who will engage
local residents, provide information and help
people get the services they need. The Alpine
Resort Management Boards and Baw Baw Shire
have also received resources to coordinate local
recovery services
• $650,000 for land managers to work with the
Indigenous community to preserve and safeguard
previously unrecorded sites uncovered by the
bushfires
• up to $1 million to rebuild community halls in
bushfire affected areas, in addition to support
already provided to upgrade the Allansford
community hall and the Whitfield Recreation
Reserve
• $664,000 to employ case managers, who will
provide a single point of contact to help farm
families and businesses access the full range
of government services, support programs and
specialists they need to recover.
Making it easier to

page 57
work with Government
Making it easier to work with Government

We will implement new ways of working directly with communities, giving groups and
communities a greater say in determining their futures. We will also streamline the
delivery of services across different levels and functions of government, and work
together with the business and community sectors to improve local outcomes.

Strategy 13: Changing the way we work with communities

Strategy 14: Developing better ways of working together at a regional and local level
 Strategy 13
page 58
Strategy 13
Changing the way we work with communities
Communities thrive and prosper when their members
are informed and empowered and where local
talent, resources and knowledge are used to optimal
capacity. We recognise that Government has a role
in building the capacity of individuals, nurturing
local leaders and strengthening local community
organisations. That is why we are developing
innovative ways of working with communities,
ways that make it easier for people to access
Government resources. We are also partnering
with local government to provide local services and
infrastructure planning, resourcing and delivery.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
Tackling disadvantage involves the whole community
working in partnership with governments to address
local issues and develop sustainable solutions.
Through A Fairer Victoria, we have established eight
‘local teams’ within the Department for Victorian
Communities to better coordinate responses to
local needs and issues by linking non–government
organisations, businesses and Government agencies
within local communities. We have made progress
in major local partnership projects in Frankston,
Braybrook, Caroline Springs and Whittlesea, providing
these communities with opportunities to identify gaps
in local services and develop new initiatives to help
young people and families.
Other highlights include:
• embarking on new community enterprise
projects that are creating work and economic
opportunities in disadvantaged areas and for
disadvantaged groups—70 such enterprises have
created 132 new jobs and training for 238 people
• strengthening partnerships between State and
local governments through programs such as the
Local Area Planning Support Program
• encouraging business to become more involved
in community life through the Agora Think Tank,
bringing together community, business and
academic leaders with Government to explore
new, joint solutions to disadvantage.
 page 59
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007 13.3 Community enterprises and
volunteering
We will continue to help communities work
We will continue to invest in volunteering and
with Government by making it easier to access
community enterprises that create opportunities for
Government grants. We will also continue to support
participation in and development of strong social
capacity building and working with new partners
networks. By providing $3 million we will support
in local communities, and further develop our
community–owned non–profit businesses that
focus on community engagement and place–based
increase opportunities for disadvantaged people
partnerships. To do this, we will consult extensively
to obtain jobs and vocational skills and increase
with community organisations and local governments
community and social connections. We will also
who play such an important role in tackling
provide $6 million to continue supporting volunteering
disadvantage in the community.
activities around Victoria and extend the Community
Bus Program.
13.1 Better coordination of Government
grants in each region

We have commenced a reform of grants programs to

ensure that government grants are:

• better aligned to government strategic goals

• easier to access
• more flexible in nature, allowing money to flow to
areas of greatest need and priority.

Importantly, for applicants we are simplifying

application processes, providing greater support
to applicants, and providing easier access to
information.

13.2 Grants for community projects

Creating opportunities for people to develop skills and

leadership abilities enables them to take the initiative
on local issues and ensures community facilities are
used for a broader range of activities. We will build
on the Victorian Community Support Grants program,
providing more support for community organisations
and local governments to create these opportunities.

We will also act on the recommendations of the

Stronger Community Organisations Project to ensure
a strategic approach to the sustainability, growth and
effectiveness of community organisations.
 Strategy 14
page 60
Strategy 14
Developing better ways of working together at a regional and local level
When government departments work more closely
with local groups, local councils and each other,
they are able to better identify issues, deliver more
timely and appropriate responses, and achieve better
outcomes. Reforming the way departments are
organised and how they operate within their regions,
and building stronger working relationships with
regional local councils, are some of the Victorian
Government’s most important achievements under A
Fairer Victoria.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
We have created stronger links between local and
State Government and the communities they serve by
aligning our administrative boundaries with those of
local government, establishing Regional Management
Forums in Victoria’s eight administrative regions, and
bringing together departments, local government and
the community sector to develop and implement local
innovations in service design and delivery.
Highlights include:
• working in partnership with the Municipal
Association of Victoria towards a Victorian
State/Local Government Agreement, putting
into practice the Intergovernmental Agreement
Establishing Principles Guiding Intergovernmental
Relations on Local Government Matters, signed
in April 2006 by the Commonwealth, State and
Territory Ministers for Local Government and the
Australian Local Government Association
• establishing Regional Management Forums that
bring State agencies and local councils together
to collaborate on significant regional priorities
and projects (such as community transport and
responses to drought) and develop innovative
solutions beyond the capabilities of a single
agency. An online workspace has been set up
for State and local government staff to share
information, generate ideas and collaborate on
new approaches to planning and service delivery
• implementing new approaches to community
participation in civic life, for example, by
increasing the use of web–based community
consultation and providing funding to 157
community organisations to increase access to
the Internet.
 page 61
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2007 14.4 Supporting local governments
implement community planning
Building on changes already introduced, we will
We recognise that local governments have embraced
support more collaborative work between and
community planning to ensure their communities
across all levels of government. We will focus on
have a say in setting priorities and to build their
strengthening the leadership role of local government
community planning capacity. We will provide $0.15
in community planning and improve the quality of
million to further help local councils improve their
local governance and councillor performance. We will
community planning, documenting and publishing
also be more responsive to locally identified priorities.
the community planning processes and results for
five councils as a first step. We will also support the
14.1 New disputes resolution for local
publication and dissemination of guidelines developed
government
by the Municipal Association of Victoria for community
Responding to requests from local government peak planning.
bodies, we will establish a mechanism to address
poor councillor behaviour to improve the effective
governance of councils. We will also help councils
enforce their codes of conduct.

14.2 Future of local government

We will invest $4.1 million over two years to

improve the accountability and performance of local
government. This includes a partnership project
with the Municipal Association of Victoria to reduce
councils’ regulatory burden on local businesses
and support collaborative ventures and shared
services across councils. This project will include
a partnership with the Office of Housing to develop
improved local planning and approval processes to
ensure the delivery of more affordable housing. $0.6
million has been allocated to investigate ways to
improve procurement practices.

14.3 State/local GOVERNMENT agreement

We will improve consultation arrangements and

promote greater transparency and accountability
between the State and local governments by finalising
the Victorian State/Local Government Agreement.
 Strategy
CASE 3
STUDY
page 62

Case Study > COLAC

Working together to make a real difference

People living in Colac like a lot of things about their town. They say they have
good neighbours, friends and family, and it’s quiet and peaceful. But if you ask
them what they’d like to improve there are some consistent messages. There
is a lack of good quality infrastructure, education outcomes are low, many
people have poor health (in some areas up to a quarter of residents describe
themselves as having a disability), and residents want Colac to be safer, by
reducing levels of crime and drug use. The community wants to be more active,
and they want Government to listen to them more.

We’ve responded with a Neighbourhood Renewal project which is working with

residents to address these issues.

An old house in Colac has been transformed into a hub for
people who are making their community a better place –
that’s everyone from artists and health care professionals,
to builders, gardeners, teachers, parents and kids.
Residents of Neighbourhood Renewal in Colac
volunteered 2000 hours to open the hub because they
wanted a place where people could get together to share
ideas and information, learn new skills, and get connected
to services.
The hub incorporates an existing neighbourhood house
and a new community learning centre, and has become a
launching pad for jobs, training, English classes, homework
clubs, walking groups, health initiatives, a community tool
bank, a community garden and much more.
Mark Brennan, a Health Promotion coordinator with Colac
Health, worked in the hub to deliver the Be Active, Eat Well
program to kids in the area.
“Locating the project in the hub meant we had great
communication with all the other organisations working
there, and we came together to work on our various
strategies,” Mark says.

“There was a lot of collaboration and we
demonstrated we could really make a difference,”
adds Mark.
The four–year pilot project has led to a significant
reduction in the consumption of unhealthy food
and an increase in physical activity among the 1800
children involved.
Food outlets in Colac got involved and reduced
saturated fats by 55 kilograms per week, and local
kids reduced their weight by an average of one
kilogram and their girth by three centimetres.
Mark says there was also a significant reduction in
the consumption of sweet drinks in Colac.
“We distributed 4500 Be Active, Eat Well water
bottles to students in primary and secondary school,
and the schools matched that initiative with a policy
that allowed students to drink water – and only water
– during class,” he says.
“That really changed the culture in the schools.”
Be Active, Eat Well also developed a ‘fruit breaks’
concept that was adopted by schools. Students were
encouraged to bring a piece of fruit to school and
were allowed to eat it in class, during a designated
fruit break time, usually at midway through the
morning 9.00am – 11.00am teaching block.
Under the program, people from markets in the
local area ran Fresh Taste seminars at schools to
introduce students to new healthy foods. Leisure
Networks got involved as well, running after–school
programs to introduce students to activities.
page 63
“We focused on activities kids may not have had the
opportunity to try, like martial arts, golf and croquet,
and apart from creating an interest in a range of new
sports, it has also led to a rise in membership at
some of the local sports clubs,” says Mark.
The people in Colac who started Be Active, Eat Well
continue to meet in the hub and examine ways to
inspire kids to get healthy and active.
The hub shows that once communities are on a roll,
one good outcome leads to another.
Residents have used peer education to raise
awareness about the need for regular pap screen
tests. And the training and employment programs
conducted in the building have seen 65 residents
offered new work opportunities through the
Community Jobs Program and the Workforce
Participation Program. Outdoor works and a café
have also generated new local enterprises.
The neighbourhood renewal program has also seen
the Office of Housing upgrade 93 houses, trainees
have retrofitted 300 homes to make them more
energy efficient, and the Colac Otway Shire has
worked with residents to plan the upgrade of six
local parks and improvements to the Lake Colac
Foreshore.
And that’s just the beginning. The people of Colac
know anything is possible when groups work
together.

And it’s working together that counts. This community demonstrated this through its response to the
recent bushfires and it continues to be the case in their plight against the worst drought on record.
Getting on with the job of rebuilding and revitalising the town, the community is driving new projects
such as constructing pathways along the southern foreshore of Lake Colac as part of the Government’s
drought assistance package.
Colac secondary schools are working with the State and local government in a major project to
regenerate local school facilities. Local sporting clubs – the heart of rural communities – are
also providing the space for young people to be active and develop skills. A new netball court with
changerooms is being built at the South Colac Sports Club through a Government/AFL joint initiative.
Colac– with Government support – is doing everything it can to ensure its community continues to thrive
and it is through A Fairer Victoria that much of this work can happen.
 Summary of
page 64

Summary of investment in A Fairer Victoria 2005–2007

investment in A Fairer
Victoria 2005–2007
Through A Fairer Victoria 2007 the Government is delivering an additional $1435.3 million to fund a range of initiatives addressing
disadvantage and creating opportunities for all Victorians. This is on top of previous investments in 2005 and 2006 totalling $1.64
billion, bringing the 3 year total to $3075 million.

Table 1: Investment in A Fairer Victoria 2005-2007

AFV 2005 AFV 2006 AFV 2007 TOTAL

1. Giving children the best start in life 101.8 283.2 171.1 556.1

2. Keeping young people on track 45.6 21.6 14.6 81.8

3. Responding to family violence more effectively 35.2 0 10.7 45.9

4. Helping older Victorians stay independent 50.1 59.5 113.5 223.1

5. Providing fairer access to services 6.1 43.1 221.9 271.1

6. Making services more affordable 6 11.3 2.1 19.4

7. Boosting access to affordable housing 49.6 86.1 510.4 646.1

8. Improving access to justice 82.4 41.3 17.9 141.6

9. Building a new partnership with indigenous Victorians 27.1 61.7 19.5 108.3

10. Creating new opportunities for people with a disability 119.5 67.3 201.4 388.1

11. Increasing support for mental health services 180.3 136 69.3 385.6

12. Building stronger communities 75.2 39.6 69.0 183.8

13. Changing the way we work with communitities 9.4 0.6 9.0 19.0

14. Working together at a regional and local level 0 0.3 4.8 5.1

TOTAL 788.2 851.6 1435.3 3075.1

 page 65
Table 2: Cashflow for the A Fairer Victoria 2007 initiatives

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 TOTAL

Giving children the best start in life 0 46.9 44.4 40.7 39.2 171.1

Keeping young people on track 0 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 14.6

Responding to family violence 0 3.8 4.7 1.1 1.2 10.7

more effectively

Helping older Victorians stay 1.2 20.5 30.5 29.9 31.3 113.5
independent

Providing fairer access to services 7.5 52.6 53.9 53.4 54.5 221.9

Making services more affordable 0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 2.1

Boosting access to affordable 300.0 53.3 55.3 51.3 50.5 510.4

housing

Improving access to justice 0 3.5 4.7 4.8 5.0 17.9

Building a new partnership with 0 4.0 7.2 4.1 4.1 19.5

indigenous Victorians

Creating new opportunities for 27.8 27.8 51.2 48.3 46.2 201.4
people with a disability

Increasing support for mental 7.5 13.4 18.0 20.5 10.0 69.3
health services

Building stronger communities 18.3 22.9 13.7 7.0 7.0 68.9

Changing the way we work with 0 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 9.0
communitities

Working together at a regional and 0 2.8 2.0 0 0 4.8

local level

TOTAL 362.3 258.2 291.8 267.5 255.4 1435.3

 Acknowledgement
page 66

Acknowledgement

Front Cover – Paula Mitchelson and her children

Zane and Rhiannon

1. Sharron Cropley with Paula Mitchelson and her

6. Darren Turner
children Zane and Rhiannon
7. Vicki Couzens
2. Margaret Lane, Alison Sellars, Theresa Le
Feuvre and Gayle Cannizzaro 8. April Fitzgerald

3. Mere Paora Epere 9. Kerry Wilkins, Dilek Diane Cakir, Rosalind

Vincent
4. Giselle Coromandel and Carli Chamberlain
10. Karen King, Rhonda Coates, Doug Stephenson,
5. Diane and Graeme Reynolds with their
Evelyn Schmidt
children and grandchildren, Kathrine Reynolds,
Stephanie Reynolds, Julie Reynolds, Christine 11. Natasha Berry and her children Candice, Eden,
Reynolds, Nakita Page and James Page Ryleigh, Jack and Connor

1 2 3

4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11
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