Victorian Budget 2026/27: A budget that leaves multicultural young people waiting
Where governments choose to invest, in tight economic times, tells us about what they value. The Victorian Budget 2026/27 sends some important signals – support for disability inclusion for children in schools, extended public transport discounts, expanded free TAFE, extension of the Get Active Kids sports vouchers program, multicultural seniors grants, and a range of cost-of-living measures that show the pressures facing Victorian families have not gone unnoticed.
With a state election on the horizon and young people one of the most significant groups of voters, we expected a budget that spoke to their futures. However, this is not a budget that meets the aspirations of young people.
Generalist youth workers, who provide critical early intervention for our communities have quietly disappeared from the budget papers. Targeted youth mental health support, a recognised national emergency, has not received the increased investment the Royal Commission promised, and that families and young people urgently need. Housing insecurity continues to push young people, particularly those from migrant and refugee backgrounds, to the margins.
Investment in Multicultural Affairs programs has been maintained. CMY welcomes the investment of $3.4 million towards addressing racism. However, at a time when multicultural young people are feeling the weight of economic uncertainty, housing stress and mental health pressures acutely, along with the added complexity of racism and other forms of exclusion, this budget offers little to reassure them.
“The Multicultural Review gave the Government a very important blueprint for investment in this growing community, and especially in young people,” said Carmel Guerra OAM, CEO of CMY.
“We are looking forward to the Government progressing the structural and legislative reforms necessary to achieve the changes it promised. We know Victorian multicultural communities and organisations will be watching closely to ensure this Government delivers on commitments made through the Review last year.”
The investment of $33 million over three years through the Violence Reduction Unit and the $5.5 million allocated to support the recommendations from the South Sudanese Australian Youth Justice Expert Working Group, signals that this Government knows where investment is needed – in early intervention and addressing root causes, as the evidence suggests. But this is not comparable to the investments made to boost police and policing measures across this budget. We urge the Government to prioritise greater investment in early intervention and prevention moving forward.
In the lead up to the election, CMY looks forward to working with the Government and young people to shape a vision for Victoria where multicultural young people and their communities are connected, empowered and influential.
A more detailed budget analysis will follow but please visit our friends for more:
ECCV calls for sustained investment in multicultural communities ahead of state election
VCOSS: A budget for tough times – with room to go further for those who need it most
For media enquiries, please contact:
Hannah Ford, Communications & Marketing Manager
M | 0429 592 860 E | hford@cmy.net.au