NEWS 29 May 2025 |
The Victorian Government delivered a budget of mixed messages for those who grasp the importance of protecting our natural web of life.
Victorian Labor’s budget included a 20 per cent funding slash to overall nature protection, with more cuts expected this year. This short-sighted approach also locked in cuts to core programs and staff, directly harming our ability to properly look after our wildlife, rivers, waterways and forests.
Concerning Cuts
- Parks Victoria faces ongoing funding cuts from last year with minimal new support, raising questions about the state’s ability to protect our most precious natural areas.
- Fisheries enforcement continues to be gutted, with almost half of fisheries officers facing the axe. This still leaves our coastlines and waterways dangerously exposed to poaching and illegal fishing.
- Public service reductions across nature protection agencies means fewer boots on the ground when and where our wildlife and habitats need it most.
Small Wins
The budget does include some positive developments for nature:
- Landcare receives $17.3 million over two years for Landcare and Coastcare programs, though advocates argue this should be permanent core funding, not project-based support.
- Threatened wildlife protection gets a boost with $2.3 million allocated for the Liwik Barring conservation area.
- Around $2 million annually for the Vertebrate Species Management Program.
- Trust for Nature sees restored funding with a welcome $320,000 annual increase.
- Bushfire recovery receives the largest allocation at over $20 million for Western Victoria bushfire recovery, plus $23.5 million for planned burning and strategic fuel breaks.
What’s Missing
Perhaps most disappointing is the complete absence of funding for new national parks in the central west. Despite commitments to create these parks this year, no funding has been allocated – breaking with the tradition of pairing legislation with the capital needed to establish the parks.
The budget also includes funding for “streamlining nature advice” – bureaucratic language that typically signals reduced oversight of our most special plants, animals and places.
The Bottom Line
While some targeted nature conservation programs receive support, the overall trajectory is deeply concerning for anyone who values Victoria’s natural heritage.
This budget suggests nature is being pushed even further down the government’s priority list at a time when pressures on our natural world are only intensifying.
For nature lovers wondering about the state’s commitment to conservation, this budget sends mixed signals at best – and worrying ones at worst.
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Read Allan abandons Victoria’s nature protection legacy
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