Budget Should Focus on Causes not Consequences of Crime : VCOSS

VCOSS says it welcomes some major initiatives in the Victorian 2011-12 State Budget – including water and electricity concession increases and community-based mental health funding – however it says the $300 million spend on police and prisons could be better spent on the causes of crime.

VCOSS CEO Cath Smith says she also welcomes the reintroduction of concession fee places for young people 15-24 in TAFE, the kindergarten fee subsidy, primary welfare officers, and funds for public transport accessibility, youth justice initiatives, and child protection in the 2011-12 Victorian State Budget.

However police, protective services officers on train stations and new prisons account for over $300 million in the budget – resources that Smith says would be better spent addressing the causes not the consequences of crime.

She says disappointments in the budget are reflected in VCOSS real effective change table below – which adjusts budget increases for inflation and population growth – the gaps include: a lack of new commitments for public and community housing, close-the-gap initiatives for Aboriginal health, declining overall resources for public education, and no new bus services – including to service rapidly growing populations on Melbourne’s fringe.

According to the VCOSS ‘real effective change table’ the largest effective increases in the budget in regard to welfare and social services are concessions (8.3% increase); youth justice and youth services (3.8% increase) and child protection & family services and early childhood services (both with a 3.4% increase).

The largest decreases in the budget according the VCOSS table are housing (12.8% decrease), primary and dental health (3.9% decrease) and public health (1.1% decrease)

TABLE: REAL EFFECTIVE CHANGE IN OUTPUT AREAS*
*Output areas adjusted for CPI of 2.75% and population growth of 1.50% as per Budget Paper 2

View the full, detailed VCOSS Real Effective Change Table here.