Jacinta Allan 'more responsible than Daniel Andrews' for Victoria's financial state, Brad Battin says with net debt set to soar to almost $200 billion

Sky News AU

21-05-2025

Premier Jacinta Allan is more responsible for Victoria's debt-laden state than her predecessor Daniel Andrews, according to state Opposition Leader Brad Battin.
The Victorian state budget released on Tuesday revealed net debt is set to soar to almost $200 billion over the forward estimates, with no reduction on the horizon.
Net debt rapidly spiralled in the latter years of Mr Andrews' premiership amid the pandemic, coming in at $44.3 billion in 2019-20, before rising to $133.2 billion four years later which included the period when Ms Allan took over as leader.
In the 2014-15 financial year, which included the first six months of Mr Andrews' time as premier, Victoria's net debt was $22.3 billion.
But Mr Battin told Sky News Australia on Wednesday Ms Allan was not handed a poisoned chalice by Mr Andrews as she had been a key ministerial player in his government, including in the portfolios of transport infrastructure and major projects.
"Jacinta Allan was working hand in hand with Daniel Andrews for the past decade of debt and deception across the state," he told AM Agenda host Laura Jayes.
"She's been involved in every state budget, she's been a senior minister and in charge of the major projects across Victoria prior to becoming Premier.
"So in actual fact, I'd probably say she's more responsible than Daniel Andrews for the outcomes we're seeing today."
Net debt is expected to be $155.5 billion this financial year, then $167.6 billion in 2025-26, before reaching $194 billion in 2028-29.
The net debt to gross state product ratio will peak at 25.2 per cent in 2026-27, dipping back slightly to 24.9 per cent in 2028-29. In 2014-15 it was 6.2 per cent.
The state's interest bill will be $6.8 billion this financial year, and in 2028-29 the government is expecting it will have to shell out $10.5 billion on interest.
Mr Battin said that if he wins the state election in November next year, he will look to make cuts to government waste to "save billions of dollars".
"We won't have to go deeper into the red," he said.
"There is so much waste within this government. We've seen $48 billion in cost overruns from projects.
"But when we look at some of the projects with the CFMEU in them, we've already had reports from the government's own hands that 30 cents in every dollar is ending up in the hands of bikies and corruption.
"So there's plenty of cuts we can make there to save billions of dollars when it comes to the waste that this government's got."
Mr Battin said between now and the next election "we have to go through what our budget commitments are... to grow the economy, to ensure that we can tax fairer across the whole system, but more importantly ensuring that people understand that we are good economic managers".
The opposition on Tuesday vowed the scrap Labor's Emergency Services Property Levy, which has attracted fierce criticism in the regions and sparked protests outside parliament.