Yesterday
- Opinion
- Leading Indicators
How Victoria became one of the rich world’s most indebted states
Victoria is the fourth-most indebted advanced economy state government outside the US. It may soon find there’s a fine line between nation-building and overbuilding.
- Michael Read
This Month
Victoria’s asset sale; MinRes’ gag request; Wesfarmers’ rates alert
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Exclusive
- Jacinta Allan
Victoria pays consultants $2m for possible asset sale list
The Allan government is paying speciality consultants Ad Astra more than $2 million, including for a scoping study to help turn the state’s dire finances around.
- Patrick Durkin and Anthony Macdonald
BCA scorecard ranks the best and worst states for business
The report names Victoria as the worst state or territory to run a business, with its onerous regulations acting against growth and investment on many measures
- Patrick Durkin and Gus McCubbing
Chalmers has spent $60b more than he has saved, damaging the budget
Veteran budget watcher Chris Richardson says Labor has announced $104 billion in new spending over four budget updates, but raised only $44 billion in extra revenue.
- Michael Read
November
Victoria’s four biggest Big Build blowouts
The state’s finances have come under scrutiny this week, and a major chunk of its ballooning debt comes from the government’s expansive infrastructure program.
- Gus McCubbing and Patrick Durkin
How Daniel Andrews’ playbook turned sour for Jacinta Allan
The former premier’s strategy was based on massive public spending. But times have changed, Victoria’s finances are a basket case, and voters have noticed.
- Patrick Durkin
Victorian mortgage arrears top other states
Fresh data from ratings agency S&P shows Victoria has the highest rate of home-loan arrears of any Australian states, overtaking Western Australia.
- Gus McCubbing and Patrick Durkin
- Opinion
- Inflation
Why interest rates won’t come down
Forget the headline number. The latest inflation figures are not good news for a government trying to sell its economic credentials.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Opinion
- Victorian budget
Victoria is an economic powerhouse that leads the nation
Recent commentary in the media is cherry-picking narratives that downplay the state’s economic resilience.
- Tim Pallas
Stockdale calls for Victorian asset sell off to repay debt
Former Liberal state treasurer in the Kennett government calls on Labor to sell its remaining assets, slash regulation and reduce taxes.
- Patrick Durkin, Gus McCubbing and Michael Bleby
Victoria to sell loss-making Baw Baw, Lake Mountain ski resorts
The two resorts closest to Melbourne have long needed subsidies to keep operating. But selling them creates dilemmas for the state’s alpine tourism market.
- Michael Bleby
Victorians are paying $2.8m a week for a road yet to be finished
Documents obtained under freedom of information show Treasurer Tim Pallas approved raising North East Link State Tolling Corporation’s borrowing limit from $644.3 million to $2.35 billion.
- Gus McCubbing and Patrick Durkin
‘Uninvestable’: Business blasts Victoria’s ‘reckless’ financial state
Chair of biotech giant CSL Brian McNamee says leading fund managers have told him that Victoria is “uninvestable” and the Labor government is “reckless” for putting the state’s finances at risk.
- Patrick Durkin and Gus McCubbing
‘Embarrassing’: Victorian households fall behind Tasmania
An extensive audit of Victoria’s dire finances shows declining household income and per capita economic activity and rising debt and interest payments.
- Patrick Durkin
Business warns ‘sick’ Victorian economy may need federal bailout
The state’s auditor-general has warned that government debt is now expected to hit $228 billion by 2028.
- Patrick Durkin and Gus McCubbing
- Exclusive
- Victorian budget
Victoria’s debt levies haul in far more than expected
The latest budget update reveals the state Labor government has raised more taxes than forecast but made fewer cuts than promised.
- Patrick Durkin and Gus McCubbing
October
- Exclusive
- Treasury Corporation Of Victoria
Every Victorian will soon owe $25,000 of debt
The state net debt bill per Victorian is on track to exceed $25,000 by 2027-28, according to figures in a new report by the federal Parliamentary Budget Office.
- John Kehoe and Gus McCubbing
Chalmers prepares for US tariffs and debt burden
The treasurer said he was working on scenarios for potential changes in America during and after its presidential election.
- Matthew Cranston
Australia’s government spending splurge (in eight charts)
Federal and state governments are in the middle of a once-in-a-generation spending spree that Westpac has likened to the mining investment boom.
- Michael Read
