Latest news with #NorthEastLink
Herald Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Jacinta Allan defends state budget tax haul, shrugs off record debt
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News. Ms Allan's first stop post-budget was to the Northern Centre for Health and Education Research in Epping to spruik the expansion of the state's virtual emergency department. But while the Premier was keen to talk health, she spent the morning dodging questions on debt, tax and the delayed upgrade of the state's troubled myki system. Asked how she justified the mammoth tax take, which is on track to hit $50bn by 2030, Ms Allan said 'every single dollar' was being invested back into services and initiatives across Victoria. Pressed over the billions of dollars being swallowed up by interest repayments to cover the state's sky rocketing debt, Ms Allan said the money was all being invested into the Metro Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel, the North East Link and the Suburban Rail Loop. She, however, conceded that driving down the debt was 'a priority'. With a promised future surplus of $1.2bn shrinking to just $600 million next year, Ms Allan was also quizzed over how Victorians could trust that it was going to be delivered. 'We are the only state in Australia to have a fiscal strategy, and the budget yesterday confirmed that we are meeting what we set in that fiscal strategy, including delivering an operating surplus,' she said. After budget papers showed card tap-ons across the transport network would cost an extra $137 million and be delayed by 18 months, Ms Allan tried to downplay the revelations, claiming that it was 'always going to be a staged roll out'. 'The trials are already underway right now, and the work will be rolled out next year,' she said. 'Indeed, for many Victorians, you can already use your phone. You already have that contactless technology depending on the sort of phone that you have.'
7NEWS
21-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
More than 1000 workers at Snowy Hydro 2.0 project strike for 24 hours
More than 1000 workers will today walk off the job for 24 hours over pay disputes with employer Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV), which is spearheaded by Italian company Webuild. Pay negotiations between the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and the Snowy 2.0 employer continue to be unsuccessful as workers push for pay parity with workers on Webuild's North East Link project in Melbourne. According to Tony Callinan, secretary of AWU NSW, this comes as a result of Webuild refusing to address its concerns and requests. 'Webuild wasted the first 10 weeks of negotiations by refusing to engage, they didn't respond at all to the log of claims the AWU put to them on behalf of our 1000 odd members in mid-January'. It claims workers at Snowy 2.0 are paid less, but expected to operate on a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) basis, rostered on two weeks at 12 hours a day, and then the following week off, which can be taken up by the long commute home. 'Working in the wilderness' Callinan said 'those working Snowy 2.0 live and work in the wilderness in the middle of winter, and when they're not underground tunnelling, they're confined to Spartan work camps'. According to Callinan, workers are seeking a 10 per cent to 12 per cent upfront pay increase in order to be on par with the pay of those working on the North East Link project. With those on the Melbourne project often able to commute home each day, Callinan said 'it should be obvious to anyone that our members working in the wilderness for two weeks straight would expect to be paid the same as workers in Melbourne who go home to their families each night'. Cynthia Calderon — vice president of communications, community and stakeholder engagement at FGJV — told 7NEWS: 'The employer has and will continue to negotiate in good faith for a replacement agreement with the relevant bargaining representatives.' 'Prisoner of war camp' However, in a notice received on Tuesday afternoon, the workers on strike were told they were not allowed to leave site, with access temporarily restricted, and any attempt to leave would result in disciplinary action. FGJV deputy project director Kevin Dunning noted that it would be 'increasing vehicle inspections', participants in the strike 'must remain in designated camp areas only', and 'crib areas', or the space used for meal and break time, will be only for 'those actively working'. Callinan described it as an extreme reaction. 'It's not a prisoner of war camp, it's not a jail.'. 'If workers want to leave the project while not being paid and go out for the day, they should be able to, It's obscene.' History of tension Safety concerns This isn't the first time where workers at Snowy 2.0 have taken industrial action. 7NEWS has previously reported on the alleged live maggots in the food at the mess hall, and given the remote location, there aren't exactly other restaurants to go to instead. The general safety of the site was questioned after an incident involving the malfunction of an industrial-sized fan in February led to a halt in drilling activity. Subsequent inspections found other fans were in similar states, some with missing bolts — an accident waiting to happen. This was a month after work was stopped due to safety refuge chambers found to be inoperable due to lack of maintenance.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State budget return to surplus slides $1b in six months
A state's long-awaited return to surplus has taken a $1 billion hit as it walks a tightrope between cost-of-living relief and paying down mounting debt. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes will reveal a forecast $600 million operating surplus in 2025/26 in Tuesday's Victorian budget. That is $1 billion smaller than was predicted less than six months ago. Victoria has not posted a positive net operating result - which is day-to-day government sector running costs minus revenue and excludes spending on infrastructure projects - since the COVID-19 pandemic. Its operating surpluses are then expected to be $1.9 billion in 2026/27 and $2.4 billion in 2027/28, higher than forecast in the state's mid-year budget update. Returning to an operating surplus was one of the steps laid out in the government's fiscal strategy following successive lockdowns and cost blowouts on projects such as the North East Link and West Gate Tunnel. Ms Symes said the surplus was "just the beginning". "From here, net debt will continue to fall as a share of the economy, and we will see continued surpluses in the years to come," she said. I'm focused on what matters most – real help for families to ease the cost of living. — Jacinta Allan (@JacintaAllanMP) May 18, 2025 Victoria's net debt is expected to hit $187.3 billion by mid-2028, based on the mid-year budget update. By that point, Victorians are predicted to be paying $25 million a day in interest on borrowings, leaving less money to spend on critical services and infrastructure such as hospitals, roads and schools. Net debt as a share of the economy is projected to peak in 2026/27 and fall after that, with the government confident it can continue to roll out more cost-of-living measures and reduce borrowings. "Victorians want a responsible budget that sets up our state for the future, and they want real help to ease the cost of living right now," Premier Jacinta Allan said. Free public transport for children under 18 and statewide free public transport for seniors on weekends are among the budget sweeteners unveiled so far.
West Australian
18-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
State budget return to surplus slides $1b in six months
A state's long-awaited return to surplus has taken a $1 billion hit as it walks a tightrope between cost-of-living relief and paying down mounting debt. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes will reveal a forecast $600 million operating surplus in 2025/26 in Tuesday's Victorian budget. That is $1 billion smaller than was predicted less than six months ago. Victoria has not posted a positive net operating result - which is day-to-day government sector running costs minus revenue and excludes spending on infrastructure projects - since the COVID-19 pandemic. Its operating surpluses are then expected to be $1.9 billion in 2026/27 and $2.4 billion in 2027/28, higher than forecast in the state's mid-year budget update. Returning to an operating surplus was one of the steps laid out in the government's fiscal strategy following successive lockdowns and cost blowouts on projects such as the North East Link and West Gate Tunnel. Ms Symes said the surplus was "just the beginning". "From here, net debt will continue to fall as a share of the economy, and we will see continued surpluses in the years to come," she said. Victoria's net debt is expected to hit $187.3 billion by mid-2028, based on the mid-year budget update. By that point, Victorians are predicted to be paying $25 million a day in interest on borrowings, leaving less money to spend on critical services and infrastructure such as hospitals, roads and schools. Net debt as a share of the economy is projected to peak in 2026/27 and fall after that, with the government confident it can continue to roll out more cost-of-living measures and reduce borrowings. "Victorians want a responsible budget that sets up our state for the future, and they want real help to ease the cost of living right now," Premier Jacinta Allan said. Free public transport for children under 18 and statewide free public transport for seniors on weekends are among the budget sweeteners unveiled so far.
Perth Now
18-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
State budget return to surplus slides $1b in six months
A state's long-awaited return to surplus has taken a $1 billion hit as it walks a tightrope between cost-of-living relief and paying down mounting debt. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes will reveal a forecast $600 million operating surplus in 2025/26 in Tuesday's Victorian budget. That is $1 billion smaller than was predicted less than six months ago. Victoria has not posted a positive net operating result - which is day-to-day government sector running costs minus revenue and excludes spending on infrastructure projects - since the COVID-19 pandemic. Its operating surpluses are then expected to be $1.9 billion in 2026/27 and $2.4 billion in 2027/28, higher than forecast in the state's mid-year budget update. Returning to an operating surplus was one of the steps laid out in the government's fiscal strategy following successive lockdowns and cost blowouts on projects such as the North East Link and West Gate Tunnel. Ms Symes said the surplus was "just the beginning". "From here, net debt will continue to fall as a share of the economy, and we will see continued surpluses in the years to come," she said. Victoria's net debt is expected to hit $187.3 billion by mid-2028, based on the mid-year budget update. By that point, Victorians are predicted to be paying $25 million a day in interest on borrowings, leaving less money to spend on critical services and infrastructure such as hospitals, roads and schools. Net debt as a share of the economy is projected to peak in 2026/27 and fall after that, with the government confident it can continue to roll out more cost-of-living measures and reduce borrowings. "Victorians want a responsible budget that sets up our state for the future, and they want real help to ease the cost of living right now," Premier Jacinta Allan said. Free public transport for children under 18 and statewide free public transport for seniors on weekends are among the budget sweeteners unveiled so far.
