Victoria’s budget delivers ‘lean’ funding for community organisations but is welcomed by others

The Victorian budget’s focus on healthcare has earned praise from health groups as organisations in other sectors like housing and education take a more measured stance. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Victoria’s peak social services body says the state’s election year budget has delivered “lean” funding for the community organisations sector to advocate for the most vulnerable, but welcomed “significant” investments in health and education.

The state’s major healthcare groups have praised the budget’s $12bn health funding blitz, although the peak body for public hospitals has warned it will take time for workforce initiatives to plug critical gaps in the burdened health system.