Innovation today creates the life‑saving medical treatments of tomorrow – and the Andrews Labor Government is backing our world‑leading scientists and researchers to do just that.

The Victorian Budget 2021/22 invests $68.8 million for health‑related research, headlined by $50 million to establish mRNA vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing capabilities in Melbourne.

Not only will these investments deliver vital insights, they’ll also strengthen our reputation as a global leader – while supporting our 30,000‑strong medical research workforce.

The Labor Government will work with the Commonwealth, industry and experts from Monash University, the University of Melbourne, the Doherty Institute and other leading research institutes to grow our mRNA capability, including the first vaccine development and manufacturing capability in the Southern Hemisphere.

Generation Victoria – one of the world’s largest health studies – will receive an additional $14 million to continue the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s ground‑breaking research tracking a generation of Victorians to paint a complete picture of their health and wellbeing.

The next phase will track 100,000 newborn babies and their families over two years, providing answers to complex health issues and pinpointing critical links between environment, genetics, physical characteristics and developmental milestones.

The ‘Gen V’ research will also drive long‑term economic benefits for Victoria through the pursuit of commercial opportunities that will share our expertise and state‑of‑the‑art technology with the world.

Led by Monash University and Cochrane Australia, the Australian Living Evidence Consortium has delivered the world’s only Living Guidelines for COVID‑19.

A new $4 million investment will support the second phase of the project, which will bring together the best treatments from around the world for people living with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and arthritis.

Living Evidence uses innovations in software, data systems, machine learning and automation to provide real‑time recommendations and evidence to help improve clinical care.

A new Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Accord will receive $750,000 to support health researchers from Aboriginal communities to lead and improve the way research involving Aboriginal people and communities is undertaken.

Some $3.6 million will extend free public WiFi in the Ballarat and Bendigo central business districts, allowing residents without online access to keep informed, study and search and apply for jobs online.

The new investments build on those in last year’s Budget of $155 million towards establishing an Australian Institute for Infectious Disease in the heart of Melbourne’s renowned Parkville biomedical precinct – which once complete could support up to 5,000 jobs, including up to 850 jobs at the Institute itself.