Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a $2 million federal funding boost for Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, as the annual Good Friday Appeal marks its 95th year.

The funding, revealed on Friday in a joint statement with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Health Minister Mark Butler, is aimed at improving access to specialised paediatric care across Victoria and expanding national health information services for children and young people.

The latest commitment adds to $6 million already provided by the federal government to the appeal, which supports treatment, research and training at the hospital.

Officials said the funding would help extend services beyond metropolitan Melbourne, building on previous initiatives that have directed resources to regional health services. In 2025, the appeal distributed $3 million to 41 regional centres, funding equipment, training and education to enable families to access care closer to home.

PM Albanese said the long-running appeal reflected a national commitment to supporting children’s health, describing it as an example of Australians “pitching in and helping out people who need it the most”. He said the additional funding would help ensure more children receive care in their own communities.

Minister Marles said the investment would ease pressure on families in regional Victoria by reducing the need to travel for treatment, while Minsiter Butler highlighted the hospital’s role in advancing paediatric care and extending its reach to more communities.

The Good Friday Appeal, first held in 1931, relies on thousands of volunteers and culminates each year in a statewide telethon, raising funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital and paediatric services across Victoria.

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