The Hon. Beverley McArthur, Member for Western Victoria, Media Release, 13 June 2025
The Allan Labor Government has cut critical health support for rural children in Western Victoria, axing the award-winning By Five Early Years Initiative in the latest state budget.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur MP, condemned the decision as a direct attack on families already battling limited access to paediatric care.
“This program was a lifeline for families in Western Victoria, reducing wait times from months to weeks for vital diagnoses like ADHD and dyslexia,” Mrs McArthur said.
Covering Horsham, Yarriambiack, West Wimmera, Hindmarsh and Northern Grampians, By Five connected over 135 children in 2024 alone with specialists at the Royal Children’s Hospital via telehealth.
Mrs McArthur said, “Families in Western Victoria already face huge barriers to health care. This cut will only widen the healthcare gap between the city and country.”
Many local communities have expressed grave concerns about the future of this vital program, including Yarriambiack Shire Council who emphasised the program’s critical role in improving early childhood development outcomes across the Wimmera Southern Mallee region.
An additional $3.5 million investment in Phase 2 of the By Five would expand vital early childhood services to more than 1000 children and dozens of rural towns. However, the absence of funding in the 2025-2026 budget means Phase 1 funding will cease on 30 June 2025.
Mrs McArthur said, “They only asked for $3.5 million over four years.
“This Government finds billions for over-priced city tunnels, but not a few million to keep country kids healthy.
“Will the Minister urgently reinstate the $3.5 million over four years funding to this vital and proven initiative?”
During PAEC hearings this week, the Labor Minister for Health stated, “Reforms that we are delivering in health are equally benefiting those in regional and rural Victoria. And indeed, I bring a regional bias to the work that I do, and proudly so.”
Mrs McArthur said it was deeply ironic for the Minister to make such claims while the Labor Government cuts By Five, one of the only programs delivering real health outcomes for children in country Victoria.
