Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews deserves full marks for audacity for calling on the federal government to help his state’s crippled budget. Although it is true that Victoria’s state finances are in poor shape, it is also true that this is the state government’s own fault.

Andrews blames the pandemic; but that hit the finances of all states and territories. If the hit was worse in Victoria, it was because of mismanagement and the government’s extreme lockdown remedies.