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About this submission
In presenting this document, we set out a select collection of funding initiatives that we believe warrant serious consideration across Victorian Government portfolios for support in the 2025-26 Victorian State Budget. In doing so, we have focussed on five priority areas.
These priorities build on issues profiled in our Submission for the Victorian State Budget 2024-25, and on work we have done over the last 12 months. They have been informed through engagement with the community through an online community survey, and discussions with other relevant peak bodies in the sector.
We believe these proposals offer important opportunities to strengthen existing supports and services for older Victorians, in ways that will drive social and economic benefits for all.
Further information on the costings and estimates can be provided on request. The proposed funding for a number of the initiatives is described as ‘discretionary’. These proposals are essential; however, this recognises that the scale of the change, process, and funding is at the discretion of the Victorian Government. Some of these proposals relate to internal processes, which relevant departments are better placed to cost.
Putting Ageing on the Agenda: Launch webinar
Executive summary
| Priority Area | Recommendations | Indicative Cost |
| A voice and vision for older Victorians | Renew and expand the whole of government Ageing Well in Victoria Action Plan for 2026-2030. | No direct outlay |
| Resource a community engagement process with a diverse range of older Victorians to inform the renewed Ageing Well in Victoria Action Plan 2026-2030. | $150,000, per annum, for 4 years | |
| Elder abuse support and prevention | Increasing recurrent funding to SRV and other frontline elder abuse services to expand capacity to support those experiencing or at risk of elder abuse. | Discretionary (e.g. SRV: a further $1m, per annum, for 2 years) |
| Provide new funding for an evidence-based, state-wide approach to elder abuse prevention. | $500,000, per annum, for 4 years | |
| Invest in improved data capture and sharing regarding elder abuse in Victoria. | Discretionary
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| Energy costs and transition | Fund a coordinated program of community education and advice activities to support older people to understand and plan changes to their household energy sources. | $750,000, per annum, for 4 years |
| Undertake a review and enhancement of the Victorian Household Concessions and energy change incentives to better support vulnerable older Victorians. | No direct outlay required | |
| Health, disability, and community support | Create an Older Victorian Health and Wellbeing Action Plan, informed by older Victorians’ lived experience. | Discretionary |
| Pilot a system navigation support service – providing personalised support for older people and their carers needing to access chronic health, disability and community supports outside the NDIS and Commonwealth Aged Care. | $500,000, per annum, for 2 years | |
| Provide targeted grant funding under the Victorian Disability Advocacy program to support older people with disabilities. | $200,000, per annum, for 4 years | |
| Housing | Increase investment in proactive housing support, tenancy advice and individual advocacy for older people at risk. | $1.5m, per annum, for 4 years |
| Expand and extend the Rental Stress Support Package through an Older Person Support Stream. | $2m, per annum, for 4 years |