State budget: Allan government announces free public transport for kids in Victoria
Children will travel for free on Victoria’s public transport network from 2026 in a key cost-of-living measure set to be unveiled in this week’s state budget.
Victoria
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Free public transport for more than 1 million Victorian children is set to be unveiled as the key cost-of-living measure in Tuesday’s state budget.
The $318m policy will feature as the centrepiece of new Treasurer Jaclyn Symes’ first budget in which the government has vowed to continue its focus on families.
Under the policy, all public transport will be free for everyone under 18, everywhere in Victoria, from January 1.
Jacinta Allan said students who currently bought yearly passes would save up to $755 a year.
“Free public transport for every child, every day, everywhere,” she said.
“Families are doing it tough and I’m on their side.
“Labor will cut public transport prices. Liberals will cut public transport projects.”
The free public transport will be accessed through a new youth Myki card which will remain valid until the cardholder turns 18.
Free travel will be available on all forms of public transport including trams, trains, buses and coach services in metro, regional and rural areas.
It comes as government sources said forecasts the government would post an operating surplus in 2025-26 — its first since before the pandemic — remained on track.
It is expected to rely on significant cuts to government services and a mass reduction of public service jobs with thousands at risk of being axed.
The government has committed to a $727m package to boost the number of prison beds and prison guards across the corrections system.
It will spend the same amount to turn on and run train services through its $15bn Metro Tunnel.
The government’s camps, sport and excursion fund for state school students will also be boosted to $400 per child and extended for two years in a $123m extension to the popular scheme.
Last year Ms Allan unveiled a new $400 schools saving bonus for an estimated 700,000 Victorian students as the centrepiece of her first budget.
She has said a focus on families and cost of living would be continued in next week’s budget.
The political capital gained in the family friendly budget is likely to be offset by a rural revolt being faced by the Premier over the introduction of the new $2bn fire services tax.
Concern also remains around the ongoing expenditure committed to the $34bn Suburban Rail Loop, amid repeated warnings from credit agencies that Victoria slow its major projects pipeline.
Victoria’s most recent budget update, released in March, showed the Allan government had spent $3.36bn more than anticipated while it received $1.97bn more than expected.
Net debt grew to $146.8bn, or 22.9 per cent of gross state product, with the update silent on whether forecasts of $155.2bn by June 30 would be exceeded.
But government sources have warned of a significant rise to current projections of debt reaching $188bn by 2027-28.
Originally published as State budget: Allan government announces free public transport for kids in Victoria
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