General News
14 May, 2026
Budget fails to deliver, MP says
MEMBER for South West Coast Roma Britnell has slammed the Victorian Budget as a “complete betrayal” of regional Victorians, warning communities across the south west are being disrespected while the government hides behind what she describes as “creative accounting and spin”.
Ms Britnell said the South West Coast had once again been hoodwinked, with no funding commitments for critical local projects.
Her list of projects left wanting for funds included desperately needed local road maintenance, urgent infrastructure repairs to schools which face ageing facilities and insufficient investment to meet growing enrolments and extra train carriages added to the Warrnambool line to fix overcrowding issues stemmed from reduced capacity.
Ms Britnell also cited the long-awaited WRAD Lookout Rehabilitation Centre and any commitment to delivering the Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment to its full scope as missed opportunities.
“This budget proves what people in the south west already know – this government has lost its focus on everyday Victorians,” she said.
“While Labor tries to claim a surplus through tricky accounting, families in our region are living the reality of underfunded services, overstretched staff and neglected infrastructure.
“We’ve had enough, and they are not fooling anyone.”
She said the Budget demonstrated a broader failure by the government to prioritise regional communities, instead focusing their spending on Melbourne projects while services and infrastructure across south west Victoria continue to deteriorate.
This includes continued decline in public transport services, where commuters are facing reduced capacity, overcrowding and substandard travel conditions.
Ms Britnell further pointed to the growing strain on frontline services, including a lack of police, overstretched nurses and teachers being forced to do more with fewer resources.
“At a time when our nurses are stretched to breaking point and patients are waiting longer for care, this government thinks it has fooled us into believing it will deliver the hospital we were promised, secretly deleting vital services from the scope,” she said.
“The people of the south west work hard, pay their taxes and deserve their fair share.
“What they’ve been handed in this budget is offensive.
“This arrogant Allan Labor Government has completely lost touch.
“It’s clear they don’t care about regional Victorians. It’s time for a fresh start.”