Investing in education and caring for people

Investing in education and caring for people

Vision: No matter who you are, where you live, or what you earn, you can access a high-quality public education, disability services, health and aged care.

Why are we here?

Education: There is a growing divide between the haves and have-nots in Australia. Our government is making this worse by providing 27% more funding per student in private schools than in public schools. Yet public schools actually need more funding per student, because they support a greater proportion of students with additional needs. When private schools can spend billions more each year on infrastructure than public schools, we must ask: is our funding model serving everyone, or just a privileged few?

Care: Hospitals delaying essential tests, mental health care, or surgery due to budget cuts are symptoms of chronic underfunding. Meanwhile, many of the people caring for our sick and elderly are among the lowest paid. With cuts to NDIS growth, people with disabilities are being left without critical interventions. Why are we spending $368 billion on American submarines we may never see, when our communities urgently need better systems of care?

Kate Lockhart, Independent for Corangamite, is advocating for:

Every child, every region, every opportunity

• Reverse funding cuts and fully fund public schools within five years – not ten.
• Ensure both public and private schools receive equitable per capita and needs-based funding.
• Increase TAFE funding to support apprenticeships, skills training, and vocational education.
• Invest in Australian research and innovation via universities and research institutes.
• Support early childhood education by improving preschool and childcare access and affordability.
• Strengthen mental health and wellbeing programs in schools, and improve inclusion practices.

A health system that works for all

• Expand public health system capacity through better funding and more staff.
• Keep PBS medicines affordable and universally accessible.
• Ensure equitable health access in regional and rural communities.
• Expand mental health services in regional areas.
• Address systemic health inequality facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Improve access to reproductive and menopause care in regional areas.

Dignity in aged care

• Increase aged care capacity through funding and staffing.
• Incentivise local aged care training and jobs in regional and coastal areas.
• Fund TAFE and community-based aged care training programs.
• Expand Home Care Packages and reduce waiting times.
• Prioritise in-home support in underserved communities across Corangamite.
• Secure capital investment to upgrade aged care facilities in growth areas like the Bellarine.
• Advocate for fair wages, better rosters, and secure employment across the aged care sector.
• Provide ongoing professional development and mental health support for aged care staff.
• Introduce portable entitlements for casual and insecure aged care workers.

Quotes from Kate Lockhart:

“I’m fighting to reverse cuts and fully fund public schools within five years, not ten. Whether your child is in Torquay or Teesdale, they deserve high-quality education – with mental health support, early learning, and true inclusion.”

“Regional Australians deserve healthcare that is timely, affordable, and close to home. I’ll champion expanded hospital capacity, fair access to PBS medicines, and more mental and reproductive health services across Corangamite.”

“Our older residents deserve dignity and quality care – delivered by a respected and fairly paid workforce. That’s why I’ll push for more home care packages, facility upgrades, and secure, well-supported jobs across the aged care sector.”