Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes courted some of Wall Street’s most prominent investors, including JPMorgan and BlackRock, to lure more capital – especially for data centres and renewable energy projects – into the state, which is heavily relying on economic growth to fix the budget bottom line.

Symes was in New York between June 4 and June 12 to meet investors, credit rating agencies and businesses after handing down her first state budget that showed Victoria’s net debt will grow to $194 billion by 2028-29, making up 24.9 per cent of the economy.