Women’s Health Services Network Welcomes Vital Investment in Victorian Budget
The Victorian Women’s Health Services Network has welcomed the 2026-27 state budget's one-year funding commitment. This investment supports 12 regional and specialist services focused on preventative health, family violence prevention and healthcare access for women and gender-diverse people across Victoria.
Harry Taruva 
Melbourne - The Victorian Women’s Health Services Network (WHSN) has formally welcomed the state government’s 2026-27 budget release, which includes a critical one-year funding commitment to health, safety and wellbeing initiatives for women and gender-diverse residents.
The network, which serves as Victoria’s primary infrastructure for preventative health promotion, noted that the investment is a vital step in maintaining services that support underserved communities across the state.
The funding ensures the continued operation of 12 state-funded organisations that provide specialised expertise in disability, multicultural health and rural wellbeing.
By maintaining this infrastructure, the government supports a model designed to improve social inclusion and economic participation while simultaneously lowering long-term pressures on the broader healthcare system.
"The one-year commitment to maintaining women’s health services’ funding will make a significant difference for women and gender diverse people across the state, supporting preventative health promotion, education and primary prevention.”
WHSN Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, Dr. Adele Murdolo, says the timing of this investment is particularly crucial given the current economic climate.
She noted that local women’s health services provide a necessary safety net for those facing geographical barriers or financial hardship.
“When communities are struggling with cost-of-living pressures and uncertainty, it is particularly vital that those who need it most have the ongoing and sustained support of their local women’s health service.
"This includes those living with a disability, multicultural communities and people living in rural and outer metropolitan areas,” she said.
The network says it intends to utilise the sustained funding to continue its partnership with the Victorian Government in advancing healthcare equity.
These include a focus on primary prevention strategies for family violence and ensuring that specialist healthcare remains accessible to residents in both metropolitan and remote regions.
As the only coordinated network of its kind in an Australian state or territory, the WHSN provides a unique statewide infrastructure.
The organisation maintains that its place-based and specialist services are essential for creating equitable environments where women can live, work and learn with adequate health support.
