The Victorian Government just handed down its budget for the year ahead – and has once again chosen to punish the forests, rivers, plants and animals we all love and depend on.
This is despite strong public support for nature conservation, with most Victorians concerned about nature destruction, wildlife extinction, and the health of parks and ecosystems.
Read on to find out how our environment fares in the latest Victorian budget.
In a huge blow to forests, wildlife and communities that depend on healthy nature (i.e. everyone), the Victorian Government has made further cuts to Parks Victoria and made no new commitments to protect biodiversity.
The Victorian National Parks association analysis states
“Total departmental funding for nature has fallen by around $535 million compared to last year’s budget. This continues a pattern of cuts that has steadily weakened the institutions and programs Victoria depends on to protect nature.”
Parks Victoria received $187.3 million in last year’s budget, but this year that funding drops even further to $184 million. These cuts to already overstretched departments will have a real impact on Victorian communities and the places they love and depend on.
There’s also little detail on funding for the ‘Future Forests’ program, which claims to help manage over 1.8 million hectares of state forests. What this means on the ground is yet to be seen.
It looks like there will be some funding for Traditional Owner groups that contribute to the management of public land and forests.
However, Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations CEO Kaley Nicholson said the most important part of the Budget is not necessarily how much money is set aside for Aboriginal affairs, but that Traditional Owner groups can decide for themselves how programs are run on their Country.
“Traditional Owners are decision-makers and rights-holders for Country, but are too often reduced by governments to mere beneficiaries of their programs, services, and agenda. This fundamental misunderstanding can, and should, be corrected with partnership, and today’s Budget is as good as any point to begin.”
When it comes to Aboriginal communities, cultures and lands, the experts are Aboriginal people. We welcome any improvements that put First Peoples in the drivers seat when it comes to managing and caring for Country.
The short answer is no. Victorian communities will continue carrying the cost of dealing with invasive species threats after Tuesday’s state budget, which entrenches last year’s cuts to frontline service roles and offers little new investment in the fight against invasive animals and plants.
Our partners at Invasive Species Council (ISC) explain there’s no additional funding for the control of feral deer in the state budget, despite deer being one of the most prolific and damaging invasive species in the Victorian environment. ISC campaigner John Kelly said;
“This budget entrenches cuts to frontline services and biosecurity roles and leaves communities to carry the bulk of invasive species management on their own.
We’re already seeing this play out with feral deer. Landholders and communities are facing spirallng costs from one of the most destructive invasive species in our environment.
It’s deeply concerning there is no new funding for feral deer control, despite the scale of damage they are causing across Victoria.”
Since the Murray-Darling flows through several Australian states and territories, it’s the Federal Government that’s responsible for funding this vast, life-giving river system.
In the 2026/7 federal budget, the Government announced $21.1m over four years for activities related to water reform – which we’ll hear more about as the government reviews the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and the Water Act this year.