If it wins the November election, the Victorian opposition will offer free public transport for nurses, aged care workers, and allied healthcare workers for four years.
Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier, a former nurse, said the plan was designed to recognize the difficulties of the past few years of the epidemic.
She said it's important to recognize all of those who have worked in our healthcare system over the last two and a half years, who have done so hard and so tough.
The policy would be extended to nurses, allied healthcare workers, clerical staff, patient transport orderlies, dental assistants, midwives, aged care workers, paramedics and aged care workers.
She said that they will be assisting with their cost-of-living pressures.
This is a big issue, and we know it's becoming a big issue. This is one way that we can ease that burden. The opposition said that the more than 260,000 healthcare workers covered by the policy could end up $1,800 a year better off.
The upper-end estimate was based on someone who was using public transport daily across zones one and two in Melbourne, the opposition said.
The policy could cost up to $468 million a year, but Ms Crozier said not everyone who was eligible would take up the opportunity.
The Victorian government announced earlier this year a $3,000 winter retention and surge payment to try and retain public sector healthcare workers as the state battles its deadliest phase of the COVID-19 epidemic.