THESE’S so much going on at State Government level, impacting police leadership, the sacking of front-line Fisheries officers, the doubling of the old Fire Services Levy, a review of the public service and more, it’s hard to know where to start.
But it’s further evidence that the state’s finances are in a dire position, and we’re told, headed towards a record debt of $188 billion by 2028.
To give you an indication of how bad that is, the government planned to spend a total of $98.3 billion in the entire 2024-25 state budget.
But as much as the government has announced that it is embarking on an independent review of Victoria’s Public Service (VPS) leading to up to 3000 public sector workers being made redundant, it’s important not to get distracted by the smoke and mirrors.
For example, despite receiving a commitment of only $2.2 billion from the Albanese Government towards the cost of the Suburban Rail Loop, a project that is expected to cost $200 billion, mind you, the
Premier has refused to back down and delay the project in favour of providing more funds for the basics.
It indicates that certain areas of government spending will be declared off limits by the powerful unions and others, leaving the government to target low-hanging fruit, like Fisheries enforcement officers, land managers and other services beyond the tram tracks.
The public service review, they say, will zero in on waste and inefficiency, while ensuring the needs of Victorian families come first including funding for “good schools, good health and safe communities”.
“By reducing spending on waste, inefficiency and areas that aren’t the priority for Victorians in a cost of living crisis, the review will make sure Government keeps investing where it matters most: the frontline.”
But if those Fisheries enforcement officers, who were given their marching orders last week, aren’t considered the frontline in marine conservation, it’s hard to draw much confidence about the government’s spending priorities, and whether this review will really lead to fundamental change.
And where does it leave the commitment at the 2022 state election to fund stages 2 and 3 of the Wonthaggi Hospital expansion to the tune of $290 million?
Even at this stage, the government looks set to kick that can down the road, and if there is a change of government in 2026, who knows if we will ever get that funding.
What’s certainly clear is that there’s more bad news on the way as the Allan Government limps its way past the Federal election in April/May this year and on to its own day of reckoning in November 2026.
Why, for example, when the police and other authorities know where all the illegal tobacco is being sold in the state don’t they crack down on these outlets controlled by organised crime and shut them down? Probably because they haven’t got the manpower, while priorities including family violence, youth crime, traffic and major crime have first call.
You may find that the obvious need for action on Inverloch’s beach erosion problems goes the same way.
