State budget forgets Mansfield Shire

Published on 12 May 2026

Mansfield Shire has largely been overlooked by the state government’s budget.  

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie has expressed his disappointment at the news.  

“It’s disappointing for the Mansfield Shire community and for our fellow rural communities,” he said.  

“The ESVF remains. The underfunding of the CFA remains. This budget does nothing to reflect how essential our volunteers and emergency services are to our state, especially to communities living outside of Melbourne.”  

“Four months ago, the state was burning. Now we are hearing the state government is pledging $10m per year to the CFA when the organisation requires at least $65m per year, not to improve, but to maintain its aging fleet.”  

“It doesn’t feel like the fires this summer haven’t been accounted for.”  

“The Premier’s office did put out the news that a record investment would be going into fixing potholes. It was encouraging to read, taking it on face value. But the context is that similar record funding was allocated in the 2025-26 budget and the current state of our shire’s state-managed roads is concerning.” 

“They have mandated 3900 new homes in Mansfield Shire over the coming years, where is the infrastructure we need to accommodate that growth? $400,000 to a toilet block refurbishment at the primary school is not enough to accommodate the kind of growth they’ve mandated.”  

“They’ve spent $432m on cutting public transport costs by 50% while most of Regional Victoria doesn’t have a bus to move a town over for a doctor’s appointment.”  

“The state’s growing debt remains a concern. The next generation of Victorians will begin their lives as taxpayers and prospective homeowners in the hardest conditions unless the state reign in the mounting debt.” 

“Forecasts suggest that Victoria will be paying $32m a day just to service our debt’s interest by 2029, that’s nearly $12b a year.” 

“We need to see better financial management to take care of this worrying debt.”