Senator Jana Stewart

The Liberals and Nationals starved Victorians of infrastructure funding over their decade in government, and we won’t let that happen again.

The investment will go towards improving capacity and safety along the freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs, with upgrades to be identified and prioritised between the Australian and Victorian governments from the jointly funded business case being finalised by the Victorian Government.

It’s a critical transport route for passengers and freight, which links with major freight routes throughout the state including Midland, Sunraysia, Pyrenees, Henty and Wimmera Highways.

This brings our total investment in the Western Freeway corridor to $2.1 billion.

Approximately 86,000 vehicles travel the Western Freeway stretch between Melton and Caroline Springs every single day, with this figure expected to rise to approximately 113,000 by 2031.

The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia’s future, boosting our nation’s productivity and connecting our region’s communities by investing in our highway network.

We’re investing $1.1 billion to upgrade the Western Freeway – connecting Melbourne to Adelaide, & our regions to both cities.

NEWS JUST IN: We’re delivering an additional $1.7 billion to fund public hospitals and health services next year. Protecting the public hospital system, strengthen Medicare and help build Australia’s future.

The decrease coincides with the Albanese Labor Government's commitment last year to fund a 15 per cent wage increase over two years for ECEC workers.

This comes on top of new data released by Jobs and Skills Australia showing workforce vacancy rates in the early education and care sector have plummeted over the last 12 months, with internet vacancy rates down 22 per cent since December 2023.

An Australian family on an income of $120,000 a year paying the average quarterly fee for 30 hours childcare per week has saved approximately $2,768 since September 2023.

This is real cost of living relief, going back into the pockets of Australian families.

New data released today shows families across Australia have saved up to $2,768 since childcare subsidies came into effect in 2023.

Applications must be submitted by 3pm on the 20th of February!! Head over to GrantConnect, or contact my office to learn more 🙌🏾

To mark the anniversary, the Albanese Labor Government is providing up to $3 million to support local communities and organisations to celebrate this incredible milestone.

This year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, is celebrating the achievements of the past, and the bright future ahead for mob.

Grants to help celebrate the 50th National NAIDOC week celebrations are now open 🖤💛❤️

Minimise your distractions by keeping your phone away, make sure you’ve got your seatbelt done up, and never go for a drive when you feel yourself falling asleep - because everyone deserves to feel safe when driving.

Stay safe on the roads these holidays 🚧

Make sure you plan your trip well in advance, and take all precautions for not just the safety of other drivers, but your loved ones too.

It’s all part of Building Australia’s Future - because that’s what Labor Governments do.

That’s why we’re also investing $1 billion to build 160 new centres in regional and rural communities, so every family can have have access to childcare.

Every child deserves the best start in life. Having affordable and accessible childcare is crucial to delivering better outcomes for so many children.

A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will guarantee at least 3 days a week of subsidised childcare for working families - and even more if you’re First Nations 👏🏾

If someone you know needs support, please reach out to these services:

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) - Domestic Violence Support

13 YARN (13 92 76) - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Support

BeyondBlue (1300 224 636) - Mental Health Support

#16DaysOfActivism
#EndViolenceAgainstWomen

…by investing over $1 billion into secure housing for women and children escaping violence, and implementing our $3.4 billion national plan to combat gender-based violence against women.

There is no excuse for violence. Our government is acting with urgency alongside state and territory governments to eradicate this rotten part of our culture for good…

Eliminating gender-based violence is a national priority for the Albanese Labor Government, and we’ve been working hard to bring an end to it in just one generation.

Today marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign led by women across the world to stand up against violence against women and girls.

With now over 1 million visits, the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have been a game-changer for doctors and GPs across Australia, and will continue to deliver the medical care Victorian families need 👏🏾

It’s why nearly a third of the visits to these Clinics are children under 15 suffering from a treatable condition, who show up and get the medical attention they need with nothing more than a Medicare card.

These clinics are filling a gap in our health system, where patients can go seek urgent medical attention for situations that aren’t severe enough for a hospital, but are too serious for a GP visit.

By providing these services for free, the Albanese Labor Government is ensuring families have the necessary medical services they need, and close by.

They take pressure off GPs and hospitals, all while making sure patients get the urgent medical care they need – and best of all, they’re completely free.