‘Deeply disappointed’: Rural maternity program cut from state budget

A $2.8m program that helped Wimmera Mallee children with maternity care, childcare and paediatric services has been cut by the by the Victorian Government.

Wimmera Mallee children were once 40 per cent more likely to start school developmentally behind their peers — until a regionally led program helped reverse the trend. Despite the success, the program has now lost state government funding.

By Five, established in 2021 and backed by $2.8 million in Victorian government support, worked across five local government areas in the Wimmera Southern Mallee to improve maternity care, childcare access and paediatric services.

Over four years it delivered improved access to essential services for more than 500 children and, according to executive officer Jo Martin, achieved “overwhelming positive results”.
But the program failed to receive further financial support in May’s state budget.

“We are deeply disappointed that the Victorian state government has chosen not to invest in completing the crucial work we’ve begun to give our rural children the best possible start in life,” Ms Martin said.

By Five Executive Officer Jo Martin.

The 2021 Australian Early Development Census, conducted every three years, showed children in the Wimmera Mallee were 40 per cent more likely to start school developmentally vulnerable and ranked second only to the Northern Territory for poor early childhood outcomes.

The 2024 census results revealed a dramatic improvement. For the first time in more than 12 years, the region exceeded both state and national averages in developmental outcomes for children.

However, without further funding, the services that enabled that transformation — including allied health in schools, reduced wait times and paediatric care delivered locally — are now under threat.

Ms Martin said the sudden withdrawal of funding was particularly devastating, given the program’s success in helping rural children “beat the odds”.

Warracknabeal farmer, mother and nurse Genevieve Gregson said By Five provided place-based, practical solutions that gave rural families vital access to health services, while advocating for communities often overlooked by “metro-centric” government policies.

She warned that cutting the program’s funding would strip away crucial advocacy support and risk children missing out on access to essential services by dismantling the newly established support pathways.

“We aren’t asking for much - just the basics to keep the access available for these vulnerable children in these communities,” Ms Gregson said.

A new partnership between Uniting Vic Tas and Grampians Health will preserve By Five’s paediatric service, but the broader future of the program remains uncetain.

By Five will continue operating for another 12 months under interim funding from Wimmera Southern Mallee Development, while efforts are made to secure longer-term support.

Ms Martin said rural communities were losing families one by one as access to essential maternity and early childhood services disappeared, creating a domino effect that threatened the viability of small towns.

“When we lose these services, it’s like Jenga - removing pieces until communities can no longer support young families,” she said.