Victorian Families Statement
Families are the cornerstone of our communities. While Victorians belong to families that look very different from each other, family life is central to many of the most important things we have in common.
Section 1 – Why Victoria needs a Families Statement
Families are the cornerstone of our communities. While Victorians belong to families that look very different from each other, family life is central to many of the most important things we have in common. It is about the necessities of a roof over our heads and food on the table, but it is also about working in a secure job that uses our skills, educating our children, feeling safe on our streets, knowing our neighbours and having a quality of life that allows us to spend time with our loved ones.
The Victorian Government recognises this, and we know we have a role to play in helping people achieve their aspirations. We also know that times have been tough for many people. Some people have been left behind over the years; some families are struggling under new burdens. Disasters like the recent devastating floods remind us that there will always be challenges, and we must always be ready to pitch in to support others.
This Government wants to give people a helping hand when they need it, and to get out of the way when we are not needed. To do this successfully, it is vital that we understand people’s circumstances and the challenges they are facing. A genuine and ongoing discussion between the Government and Victorian families about what is important, what is needed and how we are progressing is going to be essential.
The 2011 Victorian Families Statement is the beginning of that discussion.
The Government wants this discussion to be grounded in the needs of Victorians: an open-eyed look at what families experience, what they need, and what we can all do to help.
It will be a broad discussion that touches on the many factors that shape the lives of Victorian families. Household budgets will be front and centre – but important too, will be how we travel to where we need to go, how safe we are walking down the street, how we stay healthy or manage an illness or a disability, and how much time we get with our friends, partners, parents and children.
Perhaps most importantly, this discussion will generate new ideas about how we, as a Government, and as a community focus on what really matters.
It will also be an ongoing discussion. In the weeks and months to come we will be creating opportunities to connect with families and find out more about what they’re thinking. This will help us identify the right things to measure so benchmarks can be put into the 2012 Families Statement. Beyond 2012, the Statement will be reviewed and released annually. Each instalment will build on our understanding of the issues, and importantly, how the situation is changing for families.
However, it is not just about talking. It is about measuring how we are changing, what we have done and where we need to do more.
The Families Statement is not all things to all people, it does not address all areas of Government policy. Instead, it lays the groundwork for an ongoing assessment of where the Government needs to focus, to help create a Victoria in which all families have a chance to achieve their aspirations.
Section 2 – Victorian families today
Today there is no typical Victorian family. Victorians live in single-parent households, blended, step and extended families. Some of us are starting a family while others have seen their children grow up and move out to live independent lives. Some couples choose not to have children, some people choose to live alone or in group households and some include same-sex relationships. Some families have recently arrived in Victoria from different parts of Australia and the world while Aboriginal families have called this place home for many thousands of years. Amongst us, there are families who are struggling and families who are enjoying success. Regardless, they all make up the fabric of Victorian society.
The Government governs for all Victorians, and is committed to helping Victorian families. Because, despite our differences, we share basic needs. First and foremost, we all need somewhere to live, a secure income and a manageable household budget. A strong economy and responsible financial management are key to the future prosperity of Victorian families.
We also need infrastructure that works and services that deliver. Having a road network and transport system which are reliable, efficient, affordable and safe is essential to the daily lives of families. Equally important is having access to quality education, health and disability support services – when and where we need them and without unnecessary bureaucratic burden. When these services don’t perform, families suffer.
We need our neighbourhoods to be safe and friendly. Victorians are concerned about the impact of crime and antisocial behaviour on our quality of life and communities. Patterns of work, family and social life are all changing, and technology is allowing us to link up in new ways. Our communities continue to become more culturally diverse and we need to promote understanding and openness. In the face of change it remains vital that people feel a sense of belonging and take pride in our community.
We also need a society where services and opportunities do not depend on where we live. The differences in the circumstances and make-up of families living in metropolitan Melbourne, and rural and regional Victoria present specific challenges. Wherever they live, Victorians deserve to have access to services and opportunities. And they deserve to be helped when disaster strikes, such as the recent floods and fires that have affected many communities.
If, working together, we can meet these needs, families will be in a strong position to achieve their aspirations. To do so, however, we need to recognise a number of challenges.
Section 3 – Meeting the challenges facing Victorian families
This Statement is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all the challenges families face, and all the things Government is doing to help. It is designed to be a conversation starter that helps clarify what some of the key challenges are, and where we need to focus our efforts.
Keeping the household budget in the black
The economic outlook for Victoria is currently positive. Our gross state product, the measure of Victoria’s economic output, is going up, but so are wages. Average weekly earnings are increasing by around 4 per cent each year, outpacing the average growth in prices of 2.8 per cent (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Catalogue Number 6401, 2010).
However, families are paying significantly more for some essentials. Housing (including rents and utilities), health and education costs have grown faster than average earnings, while the cost of putting food on our tables has risen faster than other costs. Transport costs also continue to be high, particularly as petrol prices rise, and many families in outer metropolitan, regional and rural areas have no alternative to car travel.
These rising costs are placing household budgets under pressure. In particular, families on low incomes, who spend a greater percentage of their income on essential items, have been disproportionately affected. Some people are doing it very tough, experiencing difficulties in feeding their families.
Helping families manage their bills will ease the budget strain. Under the Government’s Energy Saver Incentive Scheme, families can get discounts on energy saving products like weather sealing and efficient hot water systems. This scheme will be extended to small and medium enterprises, so they can share the benefits. People with concession cards will get additional discounts such as a 17.5 per cent discount on electricity bills year-round.
In 2009 the previous Government signed a 30-year contract for the construction and operation of a desalination plant at Wonthaggi, capable of delivering 150 billion litres of water a year. Under this contract Victorians will need to pay for any water ordered, as well as a fixed series of payments which are independent of the volume of water supplied. The Government is investigating the cost of the desalination project and minimising the impact on household water bills.
To help rural and regional families further, the Government will establish a $100 million program to expand the natural gas network across regional and rural Victoria. This will also support more jobs and encourage more people to live in regional areas.
The Government is also focused on home ownership. Eligible first home buyers, pensioners and concession cardholders will receive stamp duty concessions, in addition to the first home owner grant and bonus. Stamp duties will be cut for eligible young farmers buying their first property.
Good urban planning will help reduce the pressure on house prices. The Government will work to make enough land available to meet our growth needs, now and into the future. The Government will also be investing in new accommodation and services to minimise youth homelessness.
In addition, this Government will help families with their health costs by providing more funding to Ambulance Victoria from June 2011. As a result, membership costs will be halved, reducing the yearly amount paid by families from $150 to $75.
Many small and medium-sized businesses have been under economic strain as well. To help, the Government will be providing information and support to businesses through Business Victoria and the Victorian Small Business Commissioner. We will establish Grants Victoria, and work to significantly streamline the delivery of small business grants. By creating the conditions that allow businesses to prosper, the Government will be helping families to derive the benefits of a strong economy.
When budgets are already strained, paying Government taxes and charges can seem especially rough. In comparison to our gross state product, taxes have moved steadily up over recent years, to the point where in 2010-11 Victoria had the highest ratio of tax to gross state product in the country (Victorian Government, 2010-11 Victorian Budget Paper No 2). The Government will be working to help ease the pressure, and launching an independent review of our finances.
Of course, families will always need to use common sense and sound judgement to manage their own budgets. However, the Government can help to reduce the stress and give families more.
Having the skills to secure a good job
In today’s world, having the right skills is increasingly important to securing and keeping a good job. Overall, Victoria’s job market is strong. Unemployment is dropping and is expected to be around five per cent by 2012-13 (Victorian Government, 2010-11 Victorian Budget Update). We are also ahead of much of the country when it comes to our skills, with the greatest proportion of people employed in high-skill occupations.
However, the numbers are not all positive. Youth unemployment was around 12.5 per cent in December 2010, significantly higher than the rate for the total labour force (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Catalogue Number: 6291.0.55.001and Department of Premier and Cabinet. Youth is defined as people aged between 15 and 24). Almost half of Victorians aged 15 to 64 do not hold post-school qualifications, many do not have the literacy skills needed to meet the demands of modern life, and more than half have low numeracy skills (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Survey of Education and Work 2010 and Literacy and Life Skills Survey and Skills Victoria, Victoria's VET Statistics: A Pocket Guide, 2009 Edition).
Removing barriers to vocational education will help young people get the skills they need, so the Government has fast-tracked its plan to ensure concession fee places are available for TAFE diplomas for 15 to 24 year old students holding a Health Care Card from 1 February 2011. We will also increase training places for the disadvantaged and those re-training in skills shortage areas, and support training facilities on public housing sites.
Getting the right skills and training is also increasingly important for older Victorians. Over the past decade, the number of 45 to 64 year olds undertaking training has increased by a quarter. And for the 31 000 people with a disability currently enrolled in vocational training, building better skills will be critical to boosting their job prospects and life opportunities (Skills Victoria, Victoria's VET Statistics: A Pocket Guide, 2009 Edition). The Government will work to ensure the training system is responsive to the needs of all Victorians.
Improving skills will not just mean better jobs and higher family incomes. It will also mean better life chances for our children, as there is a strong link between Year 12 completion rates and the skill levels of students’ parents.
Getting where we need to go
We all know the frustration of being stuck in traffic or delayed on a crowded train station. Delays due to traffic congestion went up by 22 per cent between 1999-2000 and 2009-10, and over the past eight years the punctuality of public transport has dropped (Department of Transport, Track Record 13-38, 2002-10). All that time we spend waiting to get somewhere is time we could have spent with our loved ones.
To help people get where they need to go, faster, the capacity of our metropolitan and regional arterial roads will be increased, and delays addressed by removing railway level crossings. In the longer term, the Government will consider passenger rail between Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo in order to provide regional families with more travel options and increase mobility for people without cars. We will begin planning for rail links to Doncaster, Rowville, and Tullamarine Airport, and will commence development of the Avalon Airport rail link.
Public transport will be improved through better connections, more trains and trams, and better maintenance. We are also reviewing the troubled myki ticketing system so we can make the right decision on the best way forward for public transport ticketing in Victoria.
For some families, travel on the roads brings tragedy. In 2010, 287 people died on our roads, 163 of them in regional and rural areas (Traffic Accident Commission, Annual Road Toll, 2010). To reduce road trauma, the Government will continue to apply the Safe System approach of investing in safer roads, regulating safer vehicles and promoting safer driving behaviours.
Creating safe and friendly neighbourhoods
Community safety is a real and serious issue for many Victorians. Surveys consistently find that Victorians feel unsafe in some circumstances, with only a quarter feeling safe travelling alone on public transport at night, and just over half feeling safe walking at night in their neighbourhood (Productivity Commission, Report on Government Services 2011).
These fears reflect increased rates for many violent offences over the past ten years. In 1999-2000 there were 419 assaults per 100 000 people. By 2009-10, this had risen to 636, or a total of 34 981 assaults. The number of assaults on public transport has likewise increased (Victoria Police, 2009-2010 Crime Statistics). These are disturbing trends.
Many Victorians are also worried about antisocial behaviour in their neighbourhoods, including property damage, graffiti, rising levels of public drunkenness and hoon driving (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Crime Victimisation, Australia, 2008-09).
Community safety is one of the Government’s top priorities, and we will act on these concerns through measures such as:
- deploying 1700 new police officers, including 100 specifically for public transport
- putting Protective Service Officers on patrol at all metropolitan and selected regional train stations from 6pm until the last train
- establishing baseline sentences and abolishing suspended sentences and home detention
- impounding hoon drivers’ cars
- making those who graffiti help clean up vandalised property, and
- giving councils more money to clean up graffiti hotspots.
Just as being safe is important, so is being connected. Building friendly neighbourhoods is about people helping others and getting involved in their local areas. However, membership of many community groups is declining, and Victorians volunteer less than the national average, particularly in our big cities (Department of Planning and Community Development, Indicators Of Community Strength At The Local Government Area Level 2004 and Australian Bureau of Statistics, General Social Survey 2006).
Volunteerism adds to the spirit and strength of our community, and so the Government will be supporting initiatives to recognise and promote this.
When times get really tough, Victorians rally together. We only have to look at how Victorians have responded to the floods, and before that, the terrible 2009 bushfires, to see the strength that lies in our community networks. The Government remains committed to supporting Victorian communities affected by the floods and other hardships, to help them draw on that strength to rebuild and plan positively for the future.
Supporting rural and regional Victoria
Life for families in rural and regional Victoria can present distinct challenges, including limited infrastructure and fewer services and a shortage of skills and labour. Cumbersome red tape often adds another unwanted layer.
Although regional Victoria’s population has grown over the past decade, this growth has been concentrated in regional centres, while the populations of many of Victoria's smaller towns have been declining at ever faster rates. Tough global competition and rising production costs has affected many farmers, and half of Victoria’s farmers say they would not advise their children to follow them into the family business (Herald Sun, 4 January 2010).
The shift of young people from rural areas has left large gaps in many communities, which limit their viability. Increased training and education opportunities will enable young adults to remain in the regions and allow them to contribute towards building the prosperity of rural and regional Victoria.
Above all, the Government will govern for all Victorians, not just those living in our cities. We will develop a population strategy that covers all our regions. Rural and regional families will benefit from better infrastructure, better services, and a more inclusive, connected approach. Farmers will get help in tackling environmental challenges and the effects of climate change, and industry will be supported to transition towards doing business with lower carbon models.
Helping families recover from floods and other natural disasters
Adverse climate conditions and natural disasters continue to take a toll on the lives, livelihoods and morale of regional and rural Victorians. These include significant weather events, like the long term drought, the devastating 2009 bushfires and now the floods across Victoria.
These floods have dealt a heavy blow, causing heavy damage to many communities already facing challenges. In some cases, the floods have devastated towns just getting back on their feet from the last deluge in September and December 2010.
The Government is determined to help people recover and has already provided more than $60 million of financial assistance, including funding to clean up communities and properties; repair essential infrastructure and assets; get primary producers, small businesses and other organisations back on their feet; boost tourism; and help out those families and individuals suffering hardship. We have also established and contributed to the Red Cross Victorian Floods Appeal.
We will make sure that families, businesses and communities are not alone on their journey towards recovery.
Supporting people with a disability and their carers
More than one million Victorians have some form of disability, and this is likely to increase as the population grows and ages. People with a disability, their families and carers can experience difficulties with studying, working, getting around, and becoming involved in community activities. For some, inaccessible shops and public spaces are a barrier, while for others a hearing impairment or intellectual disability may hinder communication. For carers, the demands of looking after a loved one with a disability can restrict their opportunities to study, work and socialise.
Sadly, the much-needed help is not always there. Far too many families are made to wait for shared support accommodation, day programs and support to live in the community. This can place even more pressure on carers and families of people with a disability, who are often relied upon to step in and provide additional support.
No one knows the needs of people with a disability, their families and carers better than they themselves, so the Government is developing a new approach to care that is guided by this knowledge and understanding. We will also invite people with a disability and their carers to share their views on any new national disability arrangement, like the plans for a new National Disability Insurance Scheme, so we get the system that works best for them.
At the same time, the Government is making more care services available, including new supported accommodation places and additional respite care.
Staying healthy and active
Good health is essential to our well being. Every parent wants their child to have a healthy start in life, and every older Victorian wants to stay as active, independent and as mobile as they can. And there are many positives about the health of Victorians. We can expect a long life, we have a low infant mortality rate and the proportion of adults who smoke is declining (Department of Health, Life Expectancy At Birth: Victoria 2003-2007, and the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity, 2008).
However, there are areas where we need to improve. Only one in 20 adults eat the minimum recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables and less than half of Victorians aged 19 and over are doing the recommended amount of physical activity each day. In addition, almost half of adult Victorians are overweight or obese (Department of Health, Victorian Population Health Survey 2008).
Leading a healthy and active lifestyle is an important part of keeping families strong. We want our children to be healthy, and we want to be able to participate fully in our families’ lives. The Government can’t make people exercise more or eat better – people themselves have to take that responsibility – but we will continue to work hard to encourage healthy habits.
We will also be working on our health system so that it has the capacity to care for people when they need it most. Victoria needs an integrated and coordinated healthcare system that will last well into the future. To achieve this, the Government will develop the New Victorian Health Plan (2022), including specific plans for both the metropolitan and rural and regional healthcare systems and a capital works plan for the next 12 years.
Parts of our health system need significant attention. For example, over a quarter of emergency patients and patients needing semi-urgent elective surgery are waiting longer for care than is clinically recommended (Department of Health, Your Hospitals: A Report On Victoria’s Public Hospitals July 2009 to June 2010).
The Government is determined to address these figures. Our hospitals will get 800 new beds over the next four years. New doctors, nurses and other health staff will be employed, along with 340 new ambulance officers, right across Victoria. A new hospital will be built in Bendigo, with improvements planned for others in a number of communities around the State, such as Ballarat, Box Hill and Geelong. Specialist hospitals will also be improved, such as the Monash Paediatric and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear hospitals.
With the number of senior Victorians increasing, the demand for aged care services will grow strongly over the coming years (Productivity Commission, Caring For Older Australians: Draft Report, 2011). Senior Victorians have specific health needs. Eye health and hearing checks and aids are needed, and avoiding falls, slips and trips is particularly important.
Choice in how care is given, whether it’s through a carer visiting an elderly person’s home, or accommodation provided in an aged care facility, is important – we need to ensure our elderly aren’t forced to wait in hospitals until the right service is available. The Government has increased funding for palliative care services, and continues to jointly fund the Home and Community Care Program with the Commonwealth and Local Governments, providing services to assist older people to live independently.
When it comes to mental health, many Victorian families are facing challenges. An estimated one in five Victorians will be affected by mental illness problems in any year, representing over one million Victorians. Many of these people do not get the help they need in the community and have long waits in emergency departments, and it is estimated that more than half of those dealing with mental illnesses are not receiving the care they need (Department of Health, Because Mental Health Matters, 2009).
The Government will improve access to first rate hospital and community-based services with a major commitment to mental health. This will include funding more services, such as new headspace youth mental health centres in Collingwood and Bendigo, and establishing new facilities, such as mother and baby units in regional Victoria. We will be launching a new eating disorder program at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and developing a Victorian suicide prevention strategy.
Educating our children so they can fulfil their potential
Nothing is more important for the future prosperity of families than a good education, starting in early childhood. Thanks to the dedication of our early childhood educators, school principals and teachers, Victoria's educational outcomes are better than most. However, analysis by the Programme for International Student Assessment has shown that Victoria's results have remained relatively flat over the past decade. Recent international testing also shows some weak spots: for example, 15 per cent of Victorian students in Year 9 were performing at the lowest proficiency levels, compared with 12 per cent of students in Western Australia and just 3 per cent in Shanghai (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Programme for International Student Assessment, 2009).
To allow our education system to flourish, local schools and principals must be given the power to meet the needs of local families. That is why the Government is giving principals greater control over building projects to ensure their schools get the right infrastructure. We are also changing the law so that government school principals can ban dangerous objects to keep their schools safe, and dramatically increasing the number of welfare officers in primary schools to support the needs of children with behavioural problems and family issues.
The Government wants to give parents choice so they can find the school that is right for their children. To help do this, we will be growing funding to non-government schools to one-quarter of the average cost of educating a Victorian student in a government school.
By making it a priority and getting our education system right, the Government is making the best possible investment in our future – helping our children get the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.
Addressing challenges together
Addressing these challenges is not just a matter for Government, we all have a role to play. Some responsibilities are personal, like keeping fit and active, and there are some pressures which individuals must address themselves.
But there is a lot the Government should do, and will do, to help. Above all, the Government will be listening to families – hearing their voices on public safety, health services, disability care, schools, regional needs and more – because we believe that families know best what works for them.
Section 4 – Starting an ongoing discussion with Victorian families
This Statement is the Government’s first step in forging a better deal for Victorian families. It starts an ongoing discussion that will help us continually become better informed of the needs and challenges facing Victorians, and where we should be focusing our attention. It will also inform our development of the 2012 Victorian Families Statement.
Establishing benchmarks
An important feature of the 2012 and subsequent Families Statements will be a set of benchmarks that will help the Government understand how families are faring; in which areas Government action is benefiting families; and, critically, where the Government can do more.
Work is getting underway to establish these benchmarks, and hearing what families have to say is a critical part of this important task.
Hearing from families today
Using the 2011 Victorian Families Statement as a starter, the Government will embark on an extensive consultation process to gather a wide range of views and ideas on what families are experiencing, what the Government should be doing more of, and where we should stay out of the way. This will include consultation with targeted groups, experts and those with specialist knowledge or interest in the plight of families like peak bodies, consumer, business, church and community representatives.
The Government’s commitment to Victorian families
We all aspire to happy and productive lives, spending quality time with our loved ones, well supported within our communities. Part of the Government’s job is to help people realise these aspirations. The annual Families Statement reflects our commitment to the health, well being and prosperity of Victorian families, now and into the future.
Last updated on Friday, 29 July 2011