The major parties have gone on a spending spree in the battle for Victorians' hearts and minds this election.
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According to the parliamentary budget office, Labor is promising $12 billion and the coalition $28b in health, transport, energy and education policies ahead of the November 26 poll.
You can find the major parties' key victorian election promises below:
HEALTH
Labor:
- Build or upgrade at least seven hospitals, including up to $1.05 billion on a new Maroondah Hospital, up to $855 million to upgrade the Northern, up to $675 million for a new West Gippsland hospital, up to $560m to upgrade the Monash Medical Centre
- Fully pay off degrees for more than 10,000 nurses and midwifery students who enrol in 2023 and 2024 and work in the public health system for two years
- $5000 sign-on bonus for newly graduated nurses and midwives who work two years in the public system
- Up to $170m to redevelop three regional public aged care homes
- $71m to improve women's health and provide support for issues ranging from period pain to menopause
Coalition:
- Build or upgrade more than 25 hospitals, including $900m for a new Werribee Royal Children's hospital, $750m for a new Mildura Hospital, $550m to rebuild Caulfield Hospital and $400m for a new infectious disease hospital
- Free public transport on all metropolitan and V/Line public transport services for more than 260,000 health workers
- A $325m staffing plan to recruit and upskill 40,000 health workers over the next four years
- An extra $125m for Victoria's triple-zero call-taking and dispatch service
- Halve the public elective surgery waitlist in first term
ROADS AND TRANSPORT
Labor:
- $203m to cap V/Line train fares in line with metropolitan services
- $600m for 23 new VLocity trains
- $207m for 200 extra services on major regional lines each weekend
- Remove an extra 25 level crossings by 2030, taking total to 110 since 2015
- $650m to improve train services to Melbourne's west
Coalition:
- Shelve Labor's $35b Suburban Rail Loop and redirect funding to the health system
- Capped $2 daily fares on the metropolitan public transport network
- Half-price V/Line train fares and free replacement buses
- Begin planning for a second Metro Tunnel in Melbourne
- $23m to trial capped return airfares from Mildura to Melbourne for locals
- Lowering the age for a probationary driver's licence to 17
Victorian Labor and the coalition have detailed their spending promises ahead of the state election. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS)
EDUCATION
Labor:
- Almost $1.6b to build and upgrade Victorian public schools and kindergartens
- $717m package for low-fee Catholic and independent schools
- $584m to establish 50 new government-owned and operated early education centres
- $207 million specialist schools package
- $170m to build new TAFE campuses and improve existing ones across the state
- Free TAFE courses for all Victorians
Coalition:
- More than $1b for new and upgraded government schools
- $700m over four years to non-government school sector for capital support
- $220m for a schools literacy plan
- $300m for free lunches at Victorian public schools under two-year pilot program
- Simplify and streamline the Victorian curriculum
- Support free TAFE system for areas with workforce shortages
ENERGY/CLIMATE CHANGE
Labor:
- Bring back majority public-owned State Electricity Commission, enshrining it in the constitution
- $1b on renewable energy projects to be overseen and run by SEC
- Increase renewable energy targets from 50 per cent to 65 per cent by 2030, 95 per cent by 2035
- Reach net zero emissions by 2045 instead of 2050
- Legislate renewable energy storage targets for 2030 and 2035
- $42m for 100 community batteries
Coalition:
- Quarantine all new gas discovered in Victoria for state-only use
- Legislate Victoria's 2030 emissions reduction target of 50 per cent
- A $1b clean hydrogen strategy
- Upgrade transmission infrastructure in western Victoria
- Rebates for both solar panels and home batteries
PARLIAMENTARY AND LEGISLATIVE REFORM
Labor:
- Apology to people who were in state care between 1928 to 1990 for historical abuse and neglect
- Workshop replacing the Lord's Prayer in parliament
Coalition:
- A royal commission into Victoria's COVID-19 pandemic response, scrap Victoria's pandemic laws and guarantee no more lockdowns
- Amend the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act to give faith-based schools protection to hire people based on their values
- Extra funding for the integrity agencies and expand powers for the corruption watchdog to conduct public hearings
- Lead reform on Victoria's upper house group voting ticket system
TAXES/COST OF LIVING
Labor:
- A fresh round of the $250 power-saving bonus next year
- $9.7m to make vehicle registration free for eligible tradies
- Introduce a Victorian veterans card, including $100 discount on vehicle registration
Coalition:
- Remove electricity supply charges to cut household electricity bills by up to $235
- Freeze water service charges for five years, saving average Victorian households up to $100 a year
- Legislate debt cap and scrap seven taxes
- Pause electric vehicle tax until 2027
- Lift payroll tax threshold from $700,000 to $1.6m
HOUSING
Labor:
- $2.08m towards Magie Nest Housing, a partnership between The Salvation Army, Melbourne Project 614 and The Collingwood Football Club Foundation that provides accommodation to 130 people with a history of or are at risk of homelessness
- $141m towards installing air conditioners in more than 40 public housing towers in Victoria
Coalition:
- Legislate planning reforms to cut red tape without Labor's dumped social housing levy on developers
- Expand stamp duty exemption for first homebuyers to purchases up to $1 million for a year from January 1
- Unlock 150,000 extra lots of land across Melbourne and regional Victoria in next two years
SPORT/TOURISM/ARTS
Labor:
- $34m live music support package
- $30m package for brewers, winemakers, distillers
- New planning overlay laws to protect prominent live music venues
Coalition:
- $150m homegrown events fund to assist planning, attracting and re-starting local festivals, concerts and events
- Move 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony from the MCG to Geelong and include Shepparton as hub
- Establish Tourism and Events Victoria as an independent statutory body
Australian Associated Press
