The Victorian Government is helping businesses hit by this summer’s bushfires – waiving and refunding liquor licence fees so local operators can focus on reopening and recovery.

Minister Enver Erdogan today announced that businesses affected by the January 2026 bushfires will have their liquor licence renewal fees waived.

This support will help pubs, wineries, distilleries, cafés and bottle shops save money at a time when every dollar counts.

Businesses in areas including Avenel, Merton, Seymour, Alexandra, Skipton, Natimuk, Tallangatta, Gellibrand and many more are eligible.

Businesses who lost stock in the Harcourt Cooperative Cool Stores fire will also have their 2026 fee waived.

More relief will be extended to licensees impacted by bushfires still active across the state.

All eligible businesses will have their fees automatically waived or refunded.

Hospitality and retail businesses play a vital role in local economies and supporting them is central to helping regional communities recover from this year’s devastating bushfires.

The fee relief builds on more than $370 million in jointly funded support already announced for affected families, farmers, businesses and councils.

For recovery help, call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 or visit  vic.gov.au/bushfirerecovery.

Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Enver Erdogan said:

“Businesses impacted by the fires have lost stock and trade, and many are rebuilding from scratch – and these fee waivers will take one pressure off their recovery.”

“We’ll continue to back bushfire‑affected communities and support the businesses that are so important to local jobs, local economies and local recovery.”

Melbourne’s West will be the first to benefit from a new asphalt blend to make journeys smoother for longer.

It means we can look after our roads more sustainably while lowering our environmental footprint.

Ventia, the contractor tasked with delivering maintenance on the Western Roads Upgrade for the Netflow consortium, has used Enrobés à Module Elevé Class 2 (EME2) asphalt that incorporates 15% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for the first time on Victorian roads.

This is better for drivers and it’s better for the environment; the asphalt includes 15 per cent reclaimed material from recycled road surfaces and is designed to handle heavy‑vehicle traffic on highways and in industrial areas.

This maintenance will make sure road repairs are durable and decrease the reliance on brand new road materials and divert the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Used as part of the Labor Government’s 260 kilometre Western Roads Upgrade, this has helped to improve the road surface and strengthen connections for Melbourne’s growing western communities.

For more information on the current maintenance works being undertaken on the Western Roads Upgrade, head to transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/projects/western-roads-upgrade-2025-26-maintenance-program.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne said:

“For the first time, we’re using recycled asphalt in Melbourne’s west to deliver smoother, more reliable journeys for locals.”

“By incorporating 15 per cent reclaimed material, we’re maintaining our roads in a more sustainable way while reducing our environmental footprint”

Group Executive Transport, Ventia, Damian Pedreschi said:

“The successful use of EME2 asphalt demonstrates how innovation and collaboration can reduce environmental impact while maintaining the durability and performance required of our road networks.”

“This milestone shows what’s possible when industry works closely with government to set new standards for sustainable infrastructure delivery.”

The Victorian Government is backing farmers with practical new recovery supports – including Corrections Victoria Prison Industries supplying livestock feed and on‑ground assistance to communities hit hard by recent fires.

Langi Kal Kal Prison has delivered more than 60 hay bales to Stoneleigh for distribution to local farmers impacted by recent fires – with prisoners at the minimum security facility helping to grow, cut, rake and bale the hay onsite.

This follows a further 110 hay bales provided to communities affected by the Longwood fires, helping replenish critical livestock feed reserves after paddocks and stored fodder were destroyed.

Prisons across Victoria are also contributing to local recovery efforts:

• Loddon Prison is supporting Mount Alexander Shire Council with fire recovery work in Harcourt
• Beechworth Correctional Centre has offered helped to local councils with re‑fencing and timber clearing along the High Country Rail Trail
• Landmate crews from Langi Kal Kal have commenced building new fencing in the Ripon District to help farmers safely contain livestock.

The Landmate program – run in partnership between the Department of Justice and Community Safety and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action – operates across Langi Kal Kal, Tarrengower, Beechworth and Hopkins prisons.

Under the program, supervised prisoner crews give back to the local community, supporting environmental management projects, maintaining local recreation facilities and supporting disaster recovery projects.

Landmate crews within 100km of bushfire‑affected areas will be on the ground providing recovery support over the next year.

Minister for Corrections Enver Erdogan said:

“Victorians always pull together in times of need and I thank Corrections Victoria for their work in supporting our farmers affected by fires this summer.”

“By providing practical help on the ground, we’re helping farmers get back on their feet faster and strengthening the partnerships that regional Victorians rely on.”

La Trobe University researchers have developed a new way to measure and report the environmental performance of farms in a move that could pave the way for future ‘sustainability ratings’ on consumer food and fibre products.  

Published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, the measurement, developed across 50 mixed grazing and cropping farms in south‑eastern Australia, addresses one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture: the rising demand for accurate, farm‑level data on biodiversity, ecosystem services and environmental sustainability. 

Lead author Dr Jim Radford, Director of La Trobe’s Research Centre for Future Landscapes, said the Farm‑scale Natural Capital Accounting method was the first to combine production data, remote sensing, ecological modelling and on-ground assessments to deliver transparent and verifiable farm-scale accounts.  

“In order to truly value the systems that underpin agricultural productivity, we need to put natural capital on the books,” Dr Radford said. 

“Farmers need robust, repeatable and scientifically sound ways to understand the condition of their land’s natural capital—and to demonstrate their sustainability credentials to global markets.” 

Aligned with the UN’s System of Environmental Economic Accounting framework, the Farm‑scale Natural Capital Accounting method allows farmers to quantify their natural assets including soil, water and biodiversity, and their contribution to production through pollination, pest control, forage production, shade and shelter for livestock and habitat for wildlife. 

The method also incorporates measures of environmental performance such as greenhouse gas emissions, water‑use intensity and pollution. 

Fifty-eight per cent of Australia’s land is managed by farmers, but Dr Radford said natural capital assets were invisible in conventional financial accounting systems. 

“Farmers are under increasing pressure to measure and report on their farm’s environmental management but there is no currently agreed method to do so at a farm-scale level.” 

Farm-scale Natural Capital Accounting offers farmers practical insights for improving management, identifying degraded areas and tracking changes over time. It also provides supply chains and retailers with trusted, verifiable reporting, helping to counter false or exaggerated ‘greenwashing’ sustainability claims. 

“Retailers and consumers are increasingly demanding proof of sustainability. This framework delivers the transparency required to strengthen trust across the entire supply chain,” Dr Radford said.  

Dr Radford said the method could easily be adapted to develop environmentally friendly product ratings that could ultimately appear on food and fibre packaging like the widely recognised Health Star Ratings.  

Dr Radford and his team are already working with Woolmark Plus to develop its Nature Positive farming framework, which enables a verifiable certification of Australian wool growers’ environmental performance. 

Looking forward, the researchers aim to expand the application of Farm‑scale Natural Capital Accounting across more farming systems and regions.  

“Our goal is to accelerate the transition to nature‑positive agriculture,” Dr Radford said. “We’ve also been able to show in related research that livestock farms with higher levels of natural capital are more productive, profitable and drought resilient.” 

“By giving farmers clear, credible and repeatable measures of natural capital, we can help promote both environmental resilience and productive and profitable farming.” 

This project was jointly funded through La Trobe University, Odonata Foundation and the Australian Government through funding from the National Landcare Program under the Natural Heritage Trust. 

New government‑owned and operated childcare centres are opening across Victoria.

Fourteen new Early Learning Victoria childcare centres will open this term – including a new service now open in Kings Park.

The centres give families more local education and care places, lower fees and are located near schools, meaning fewer double drop‑offs.

The state government’s $1 billion Building Early Education Fund provides capital funding to build and expand early learning services in areas of need, including regional communities and outer suburbs, helping families access quality early learning close to home.

The 14 education and care centres opening in Term 1 are:

• Barribina (in Teesdale)
• Bimbit (in Werribee)
• Gamadji (in Craigieburn)
• Garrong (in Kings Park)
• Laak (in Hallam)
• Murrum (in Weir Views)
• Ngalambi (in Noble Park)
• Ngawak (in Frankston)
• Numurkah
• Shepparton
• Thookay Yarkeen (in Portland South)
• Umarkoo (in Wollert)
• Wirmal (in Clunes)
• Wedderburn

The new Kings Park centre will support up to 130 children each day, with long day care and kindergarten programs including Pre‑Prep for children in priority groups.

The 14 new centres, and the four opened last year, will enable up to 1,800 children to benefit from high-quality early childhood education.

From blind cricket and adaptive climbing to accessible surfing and walking hockey, regional Victorians with disability are enjoying greater access to the sports they love.

Minister Ros Spence has announced 89 sports clubs and community organisations across regional Victoria will receive grants to strengthen and expand opportunities for people disability on and off the field.

The Regional All Abilities Participation Grants (RAAPG) provides funding of up to $25,000 to boost access, inclusion and participation.

It’s about helping more people with disability benefit from the physical, social and mental health advantages of sport and active recreation.

Team Baw Baw Alpine Sports Club received $25,000 to launch Mt Baw Baw’s first dedicated adaptive sport program – funding specialised equipment, instructor training and adaptive skiing and snowboarding to create a more inclusive alpine environment for people with disability.

To launch Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club will use $22,000 to purchase inclusive bikes, so people with disability and family members can ride, explore and enjoy outdoors together.

In Greater Geelong, NeuroThrive Australia secured more than $24,000 to deliver a program for autistic and ADHD children and their families. Led by neurodivergent specialists, it blends movement, sensory-friendly play and parent education.

Mallee Sports Assembly is using $25,000 towards the 2026 Mildura Tri-State Games – an annual weeklong sporting event for people with disability. The funding will support the appointment of two ambassadors to promote participation at the Games and beyond.

SalamFest will receive $25,000 to reduce barriers for people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Ballarat – running inclusive activities like yoga, cultural rhythm and movement exercises.

For more information on the grants and a full list of recipients sport.vic.gov.au

The state government is backing local comedians to showcase their talent at the 2026 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks has announced the three comedians who have received support through the 2026 Stand Up! Grants program to develop and present their work at this year’s Comedy Festival.

The program provides $5,000 to three Victorian women and non-binary comedians to support the delivery of their 2026 Comedy Festival shows and propel their professional careers forward. This year’s recipients are Alex Hines, Mish Wittrup and Tarsh Jago.

Award-winning comedian, actor and creative Alex Hines will bring her absurdist theatre show BIRDS, created with collaborator Sarah Stafford, to the Malthouse Theatre.

Mish Wittrup, known for her work with Aunty Donna and on shows like Fisk, invites her audience to take a walk down memory lane at her show Not As Good As I Remember.

Tarsh Jago, a proud Palawa woman, will present her first solo stand-up show, Cherub, bringing her razor-sharp comedy and heartfelt storytelling to Melbourne Town Hall.

Stand Up! was established by the government in 2019, in partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. It honours the life of the late Eurydice Dixon, a Victorian woman whose promising career in comedy was cut tragically short.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the biggest dedicated comedy festival in the world. It creates hundreds of jobs and generates $43.2 million in economic impact for the state. This year’s festival will feature 2,000 performers in more than 750 shows, with an expected 800,000 attendees.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival runs from 25 March – 19 April 2026. To book your tickets to Stand Up! supported shows and to view the full 2026 program visit comedyfestival.com.au

Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer, Vet Talk
As warm summer temperatures continue across Victoria, farmers are urged to take extra care of their livestock to prevent heat stress, a condition that can severely impact both animal welfare and production.
Cattle are most comfortable in temperatures between 5°C and 25°C, while adult pigs prefer a narrower range of just 18°C to 20°C.
High-producing animals, such as dairy cows, are especially vulnerable, and poultry have been known to succumb to extreme heat on scorching days.
When the mercury rises, animals divert energy to cooling themselves, which can lead to reduced feed intake, slower weight gain, and lower milk production. Fertility may also decline.
Humidity adds to the problem, intensifying heat stress even at moderate temperatures.
Signs of heat stress include panting, standing rather than lying down, seeking shade, increased drinking, and decreased appetite.
Farmers are advised to check their stock daily during hot weather and take steps to keep them comfortable.
Key recommendations include:
• provide unlimited access to shade or shelter
• ensure cool, clean drinking water is always available
• avoid animal movement during the hottest part of the day or on extreme heat days
• offering high-quality feed in the cooler evening hours
• have a fire plan ready and ensure someone checks on stock if you’re away.
By making small adjustments to daily management, producers can significantly reduce the impact of heat stress and protect both animal welfare and productivity.
For more advice, contact your local veterinarian, Agriculture Victoria animal health staff, or in New South Wales, your Local Land Services.
For information bushfire support visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/bushfires
For information on drought support visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought

The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is synonymous with Phillip Island, and Victoria is proud to support it.

The state government has ruled out a request from Dorna Sports to move the event from Phillip Island to Albert Park.

As regional Australia’s biggest international sporting event, the Motorcycle GP brings tens of thousands of visitors to Phillip Island every year. It’s good for tourism, good for local businesses, and good for jobs.

Victoria has agreed to contribute additional funding to help Dorna Sports create a bigger, better event beyond 2026 but only on the condition that the event remains at Phillip Island.

Phillip Island is the home of MotoGP. It has held the event 29 times. It is an iconic circuit with a magnificent history.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said phillip Island was the home of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix “and we are proud to support it”.

Every farmer deserves to come home safely at the end of the day – and a safer farm is a stronger business.

A new WorkSafe campaign is encouraging Victorian farmers to see safety as an investment that protects lives, improves productivity and strengthens long-term success.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll launched the Safety – it does more than keep you safe campaign, which highlights how simple safety improvements can make farms safer, more efficient and more sustainable.

The $2.8 million campaign runs across television, radio, print, outdoor, digital and social media. It features real Victorian farmers sharing their own experiences.

Fifth-generation farmer Rob Abbott, who runs Mount William Station at Willaura, is one of them.

After upgrading his cattle yards, Mr Abbott found processing cattle became safer, quicker and less stressful for his animals – improving both safety and productivity.

Agriculture workers continue to be over-represented in workplace fatalities, accounting for around 10 per cent of annual workplace deaths despite making up just two per cent of Victoria’s workforce.

Farm vehicles such as tractors, quad bikes and trucks account for almost half of those deaths. Livestock incidents remain another leading cause.

WorkSafe provides practical, industry-designed guidance to help farmers identify risks and make meaningful improvements on their properties.

Farmers are encouraged to talk with others in the industry about what works, share lessons learned and take simple steps that can prevent tragedy while improving the way they operate. 

For more information visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/agriculture.

More Victorian kids will get the chance to learn to care for their native environment while getting out into the great outdoors.

The Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants have opened with $450,000 to engage young people with outdoor projects that focus on restoring native habitats.

Last year, the state government provided grants to 111 projects that had young Victorians out planting native gardens, building habitats to attract native insects and birds and excursions to wildlife sanctuaries.

More than 57,000 young Victorians have taken part in Junior Landcare environmental projects.

More than 124,000 native plants have been planted, 1500 school excursions taken and 270 biodiversity surveys conducted, providing opportunities to young Victorians to learn and care for our native environment.

Victorian primary and secondary schools, scouts and girl guides, youth groups and Junior Landcare groups can apply for grants of up to $5,000 until March 27.

Last year’s recipients include Eltham East Primary School who restored and protected habitat for the endangered Eltham Cooper Butterfly, learning how to protect a vulnerable native species.

Lake Colac School received funding for students to design, create and plant a tiny forest on school grounds, creating a physical learning opportunity for current students and summer shade for future generations to enjoy.

Tecoma Primary School students participated in an immersive biodiversity excursion which taught students about native amphibians, insects and the plants needed to support populations.

For more information on the Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants, visit environment.vic.gov.au

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the release of the new data showing a steady uptake of incentives under the Key Apprenticeship Program (KAP), which each represent a future skilled trade in the home building industry.

“Access to skilled labour is one of the most pressing issues facing the home building sector,” said Jocelyn Martin, HIA Managing Director.

“It is one of the biggest operational issues holding the industry back from contributing to meeting the nation’s housing targets, which have been set by National Cabinet.

“A recent survey of HIA’s small business members indicated that the cost and access to skilled trades were both in the top five issues placing pressure on builders.

“The survey also showed that 67 per cent of respondents said they were having trouble recruiting new staff or retaining existing workers.

“Today’s KAP data demonstrates 85 per cent of apprentices are with small businesses. Demand for apprentices by small businesses is highly sensitive to price, which reinforces the view that we need to ensure there is adequate financial support.”

“Programs such as the KAP, which provides financial support to apprentices to assist them during their training, are essential to attracting prospective trades into the sector,” said Ms Martin.

“The importance of incentives that support the employers who take on apprentices should also not be underestimated.

“A trade apprentice will typically not start making a return for the business until well into their second year, and the provision of financial assistance to help defray the additional costs of training and supervision is crucial to make the equation viable for many small businesses.

“Apprentice retention also remains a challenge, therefore targeted retention programs – particularly during the first 18 months where we see a high level of drop outs – are extremely important.

“There is a clear correlation between the availability and level of incentives, and the appetite for employers to take on apprentices and for young people to consider a career in residential building.

“In our 2026/27 pre-budget submission we call on the Federal Government to commit long term to the existing incentives for both apprentices and employers,” concluded Ms Martin.

Victorian students will now have more chances to experience hands-on learning and develop real-world skills in the classroom.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll announced recently that nine schools will share in almost $50,000 through the Lynne Kosky Memorial Applied Learning Grants.

The grants target schools offering the VCE Vocational Major or Victorian Pathways Certificate and support innovative, community-focused projects that connect learning with real-life experiences.

The 2026 recipients are:

• Corryong College
• Echuca Twin River Specialist School
• Gleneagles Secondary College
• Hampton Park Secondary College
• Hester Hornbook Academy
• John Paul College
• Merri River School
• Rushworth P-12 College
• Yea High School

At Hampton Park Secondary College, funding will support an intergenerational volunteering project through partnerships with Lynbrook Park Aged Care and Dementia Australia.

Gleneagles Secondary College will develop a community cookbook celebrating the school’s cultural diversity.

Rushworth P–12 College will establish a student-led media production hub in partnership with Waranga News.

Hester Hornbrook Academy will produce a children’s literature podcast in partnership with a local publisher, re-engaging students who have become disengaged from education.

The government is investing in our children’s future – with Free TAFE, Free Kinder and 121 new schools, every child has the chance to find their pathway.

More information and a full list of recipients is available at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

Young people in Melbourne’s north eastern suburbs now have better access to mental health support and care thanks to the state government.

Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt recently announced the brand-new Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) centre in Heidelberg is now open.

The voluntary, referral-based centre supports young people aged between 16 and 25 to access specialist, around-the-clock mental health care in a residential environment.

YPARCs provide early intervention and clinical care at a critical point – stepping in before a crisis escalates, reducing the need for hospital admission. 

The Heidelberg YPARC was co-designed by clinicians, carers and young people with lived and living experience, ensuring it is therapeutic, fit-for-purpose and safe.

Designed to feel like a home away from home, it enables young people to access the mental health care they need while maintaining connection to school, work, family and community – supporting recovery without disrupting their everyday lives. 

Delivered by the fovernment, the Heidelberg YPARC fulfils a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Operated by Austin Health in partnership with Mind Australia, the centre is staffed by clinicians and lived experience workers and is expected to support more than 200 young people annually.

The purpose-built centre features ten private bedrooms, communal kitchen and dining areas, breakout spaces, outdoor gardens and dedicated areas for visits from loved ones – creating a therapeutic, homelike environment that promotes recovery and connection. 

It’s part of the fovernment’s $141 million investment to deliver new YPARCs in Heidelberg, Ballarat, Geelong, Traralgon and Shepparton, and upgrade existing YPARCs in Bendigo, Dandenong and Frankston.

One of Australia’s pre-eminent infectious diseases specialists is calling on all levels of government to shake up its approach to measles vaccinations as case numbers rise in Australia.

Professor Nigel McMillan from Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics called for a more organised program for adults to receive a booster while speaking at the 27^th Annual Scientific Meeting in Melbourne.

“Australia’s vaccine coverage is falling and we are only a few percentage points away from such low coverage that a measles outbreak, such as what the United States is currently suffering from, will occur,” Professor McMillan said.

“Some areas of the country are in fact already below the ideal vaccine coverage rate and it is only luck that we haven’t started seeing internal transmission of measles.

“As we see more confirmed cases in Australia and around the world, it’s apparent we need to try a different approach to ensure maximum level of protection throughout the community.”

Professor McMillan highlighted the need to lower barriers and improve access so people were not disadvantaged.

“Misinformation surrounding the safety of vaccines continues to be a barrier for some parts of the community and we need a coordinated strategy to improve education about the safety and efficacy of vaccinations,” he said.

“If we can ensure our children are vaccinated, it contributes greatly to the overall immunity and health of our community.”