07 May 2026
Regional Victoria ignored again in debt-fuelled state budget
The Allan Labor Government’s 2026-27 State Budget is another bitter blow for regional Victoria, delivering more debt, more taxes and more broken promises, while communities across the Euroa electorate are once again being overlooked.
The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland MP, said the budget confirmed regional Victorians were paying more and getting less.
“Victorians are being hit from every angle. Higher taxes, rising costs and worsening services, while Labor continues to spend money without delivering outcomes,” Ms Cleeland said.
“This is not a budget built on vision or accountability. It is a budget built on debt.”
Victoria’s annual interest repayments are forecast to exceed the combined yearly funding for police, kindergarten teachers and paramedics, with net debt approaching $199 billion.
Ms Cleeland said despite the record borrowing, there was little to show for it in the region.
“Across our communities, roads are deteriorating, schools are ageing, power reliability remains unacceptable and frontline services are stretched to breaking point,” she said.
“Yet once again, our communities have been left behind.”
Planning for a Kilmore Secondary College has failed to progress, leaving families without certainty and reinforcing concerns that Labor has no real plan to deliver a public secondary school for one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regional communities.
At the same time, the Kilmore Bypass continues to symbolise Labor failure, with about $40 million spent since 2023 and still no meaningful work delivered on the ground.
“How can tens of millions of dollars be spent with nothing to show for it?” Ms Cleeland said.
“It defies logic and shows a complete lack of accountability to taxpayers.”
Local schools across the electorate also missed out entirely, despite growing enrolments and increasing pressure on ageing infrastructure, while CFA volunteers were once again overlooked for critical upgrades and support.
“Our teachers, students and CFA volunteers deserve far better than this,” she said.
“They are the backbone of our regional communities, yet Labor continues to take them for granted.”
Ms Cleeland said the only identifiable additional funding delivered across the electorate was $365,000 for the Tomorrow Today Foundation in Benalla, a program she has strongly advocated to secure sustainable support for.
“This is a worthwhile local initiative, but the reality is that one project across more than 12,000 square kilometres is not good enough,” she said.
“Meanwhile, our region remains one of the most disadvantaged in Victoria when it comes to mental health services and community health investment.
“That is not meaningful investment in regional communities.”
The budget also confirmed a cash deficit of $7.7 billion, despite repeated government claims of a surplus.
“After a decade of record taxing, borrowing and spending, Victorians are seeing worse outcomes and less confidence in the future,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Our communities deserve better than delays, neglect and empty promises.
“We need a government that understands regional Victoria, invests in essential infrastructure and services, and respects the people who keep this state running.
“I will continue fighting every single day to ensure our region gets its fair share and is no longer treated as an afterthought.”