The Victorian Government is helping households keep the lights on this winter, with a package of support to protect Victorians doing it tough and make sure everyone knows their rights.

Victoria’s health system has received a major workforce boost with thousands of nurses undertaking additional training ahead of the coronavirus pandemic – developing new skills that will continue to be put to good use in our hospitals into the future.

Victorian government school students will begin a phased return to classrooms before the end of May, following advice from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer that it is safe for the community to do so.

Over the past two weeks, we’ve tested more than 160,000 Victorians for coronavirus. I want to thank each and every one of them for playing their part in protecting our state.

New rapid response teams will be established to prevent, respond to and limit outbreaks as part of a major coronavirus surveillance boost announced today by the Victorian Government to coincide with the first step in easing restrictions.

More Victorians will have access to justice thanks to a funding boost from the Victorian Government to support legal assistance services to continue to operate during the coronavirus crisis.

The Andrews Labor Government continues to stand up for Victorian irrigation communities, to ensure they are not unfairly impacted by proposed projects to recover more water towards the Basin Plan’s extra 450 gigalitres of water.

The Victorian Government is making extra resources available to kindergartens to help children learning at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Victorian Government is supporting multicultural and multifaith families to ensure they stay connected to their communities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Victorians with a disability, their families and carers will have better access to health services and much needed respite during the coronavirus pandemic, with a funding boost from the Victorian Government

The Victorian Government will provide a further $491 million in tax relief to help save businesses and jobs, and freeze a host of fees, charges and levies to reduce the financial burden on households in another package to support Victorian businesses, workers and families through the coronavirus crisis.

More than 55,000 samples have been taken in the first week of Victoria’s coronavirus testing blitz – as the Victorian Government continues the push for more people to visit one of more than 90 sites across the state to get tested.

Zoos Victoria’s three sites – Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary – and Phillip Island Nature Parks will share in $14 million to ensure they can continue to operate and retain permanent staff until it‘s safe to open their doors again.

Thousands of Victorian families are seeing their doctor from the comfort of their home as part of a telehealth boom at The Royal Children’s Hospital, as coronavirus changes the way we access healthcare.

The Victorian Government is providing more support for Victorian businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic to get to the other side of the crisis.

To help keep Victorians connected – and help keep our creators creating – the Victorian Government has launched Victoria Together, a new online portal showcasing the best our state has to offer from live music and comedy, to the amazing animals at Melbourne Zoo.

Future leaders in the social services sector have logged on for their first online gathering as part of an innovative new higher apprenticeship scheme that allows participants to earn while they learn.

Victoria’s health system performance data has been released for the first three months of the year – a period marked by fluctuations in activity caused by the coronavirus pandemic and wide-spread bushfires.