The patient: Sam Ira

Sam Ira has cystic fibrosis, a chronic illness affecting the lungs and digestive system. The 43-year-old has undergone a double-lung transplant and takes around 32 different medications a day.

Sam Ira wants to see greater funding go towards raising awareness around cystic fibrosis and improved medication.Credit:Joe Armao

Having had to rely on his sister to rush him to hospital due to ambulance delays, Ira was reassured by the government’s spending on health and emergency services.

He also welcomed the extra $698 million in funding for in-home care, believing it would encourage early diagnosis and medical intervention.

“If you’ve got a serious condition, you need regular appointments. I know people that keep postponing,” he said. “If the service is there, that will help so many other people.”

But medications remained too expensive for those that do not benefit from a disability pension card, he said, and measures to tackle COVID-19 dwarfed measures to test and treat chronic illnesses.

The retirees: Albert and Jeanny Ip

Pensioners Albert and Jeanny Ip moved to Australia from Hong Kong in 1994 and live in Doncaster. Albert worked in higher education while Jeanny was an English teacher.

Retired couple Albert and Jeanny Ip say they want a “longer-term plan” for health spending – particularly for the elderly.Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Albert said he is not concerned about Victoria’s debt “as long as the government is delivering services”. The retiree said he wants a “longer-term plan” for the elderly and supported emergency services investment.

“I called triple-zero one year ago and the issue at that time was they were not able to send me to the nearby hospitals, as there was a long waiting list in the nearby emergency departments,” he said.

The commuter: Rachel Affas

Cranbourne resident Rachel Affas often works from home but is slowly returning to her CBD office. Affas makes long trips “once or twice a week” for work via the Monash Freeway, occasionally taking the train to her Collins Street office.

Rachel Affas commutes to her office from Melbourne’s outer south-eastern suburbs.Credit:Wayne Taylor

Affas said she “would’ve loved to see some relief for myki costs”, given the budget forecast of continued high petrol prices. The 23-year-old liked the health-oriented budget overall, but wanted more relief for public transport rather than road projects.

“When everything else is expensive, you want to turn to public transport, but it ends up costing the same anyway,” Affas said.

The homebuyers: Maddie and Matt Caldar

Having already sold their current home, Maddie and Matt Caldar have been to about 10 auctions without success.

Maddie (left), Matt (right) and baby Duncan (centre) feel the housing market is getting out of hand.Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

“The median house price of Brunswick West is around $1.36 million. We’re falling short of that all the time,” Matt said. “It’s pretty outrageous.”

Although the Caldars supported the budget’s health spending, they were concerned about housing affordability. They had hoped unchanged stamp duty or introduction of a price cap meant that their dream home remained unaffordable.

Despite a $50 million investment in the Growing Suburbs Fund, the Caldars said much more was required if it were to “shift the needle” on suburb desirability and reduce competition for buyers in infrastructure-heavy areas such as Brunswick.

The jobseeker: John Attard

John Attard is unemployed and surviving on his savings.

The 48-year-old St Kilda man, who says he decided not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because of his spiritual beliefs, was dismissed from two jobs: one at St Kilda’s Adventure Playground and another in the youth justice system. He found himself out of work for the first time in six years.

With COVID-19 mandates still preventing him from re-entering the workforce and his savings dwindling, he now receives fortnightly Centrelink payments to help him survive.

John Attard wants to see higher Centrelink payments, more homes for the homeless, and better rental assistance in Victoria’s state budget.Credit:Chris Hopkins

Attard said the government’s job-building efforts, in areas such as advanced manufacturing, medical research and renewable energy, were too industry-specific and dependent on specific training and qualifications that people like himself did not have.

Of the $250 household rebate, he said it was appreciated but said it was a “drop in the ocean” of what he needed.

“Seeing is believing,” he said. “It sounds good, but only if they stick to their word.”

The family: Kathy Mechenbier and Scott Thompson-Rodger

Event manager Kathy Mechenbier is raising two children with her partner Scott Thompson-Rodger in the inner western suburb of Newport. Seven-year-old Emily attends a nearby private Catholic school, while Leo is three and spends time in childcare and a private kindergarten.

Kathy Mechenbier and her children Emily (left) and and Leo (right).Credit:Scott McNaughton

Mechenbier said the $250 cost-of-living payments to households that compare energy deals would help her family budget.

“I grew up with not much and $250 in our books is better than zero dollars,” she said.

Mechenbier said she didn’t expect support for private schools and her family “knew what we were getting ourselves into” when enrolling their children there.

The sea-changers: Fiona Scally and Steve Bohan

Young parents Fiona Scally and Steve Bohan moved to Ocean Grove from Richmond in January last year. Steve still works several days a week in Melbourne while Fiona is a teacher on maternity leave after giving birth to daughter Lucy, who is now 14 weeks old.

Fiona Scally, Steve Bohan and their 14-week-old Lucy have moved to Ocean Grove as part of the great exodus.Credit:Jason South

Bohan said the $2.6 billion spent on preparing for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria was “a good idea” and their young daughter may use the facilities in the future.

Scally said she appreciated $581.5 million for 13 new schools, but thought regional areas “missed out” as all are in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

“It looks like it’s a relatively uneventful budget for us personally.”

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