Jeff Kennett: Federal election a referendum on the Victorian government

Never before has the majority of Victorians been so taxed for the failures of the state government, and they’ve had a gutful of Labor’s misnamagement. Now, there’s a good chance it will determine the next federal government.

Rarely have the conditions within a state influenced the outcome of a federal election.

However I suspect Victoria, and the way the community votes will shortly determine the next federal government.

Of course, everyone is suggesting it is because of the increase in the cost of living.

In many ways that is correct, because it embraces the old adage that elections are won or lost on “it’s the economy stupid”.

There are many ingredients that have contributed to the cost of living nationally, but there are some specific issues which are Victorian only, which I know are changing people’s voting habits.

As we go into the federal election, those with a holiday house, or an investment property will be receiving their land tax assessments.

Given property values in many cases have declined by almost 30 per cent, land tax assessments will be based on previous assessments not current values. Many will simply not be able to pay this tax. Their lives disrupted beyond reasonableness by a callous government that simply does not care.

Never before have so many holiday houses and investment properties been put up for sale.

Never before have so many holiday houses and investment properties been put up for sale, not because of the generalised cost of living, but specifically because the majority cannot afford to pay the land tax levied by the Victorian government.

Most Victorians now understand the Suburban Rail Loop is the greatest waste of borrowed money. The Labor Party keeps saying the public voted for this piece of infrastructure at two elections.

Well, hear me now, they did not specifically vote for the SRL. They had no details, no business plan. No real costs.

The Coalition could easily turn its election campaign in part into a referendum on the Suburban Rail Loop and send the Jacinta Allan government a very real message.

Another measure could be the condition of our roads. Never before have they been in such a dangerous condition and getting worse. Every day we hear of people complaining on radio, in the press and social media. And of course, the cost of replacement of tyres and repairs to their cars.

The Coalition could easily turn its election campaign in part into a referendum on the Suburban Rail Loop. Picture: Mark Stewart

Victorians pay their taxes, but those taxes are not providing safe roads.

People and businesses can adjust to minor changes in the cost of living. What they can’t handle is the massive increases in taxes and charges that the Victorian government continues to introduce, because of Labor’s failure to manage our affairs responsibility.

Under Daniel Andrews’s premiership, policies introduced and continued unchanged under Jacinta Allan, have led to massive borrowings for major infrastructure projects which have all been mismanaged, substantially over budget and running late on delivery.

As the debt has grown to unprecedented levels, so has the interest that has to be paid on the debt, reducing the availability of revenue to the State to provide sufficiently for the basic services the State should be providing.

Under Daniel Andrews’s premiership, policies introduced have led to massive borrowings for major infrastructure projects. Picture: Peter Haskin

Never before has the majority of Victorians, being the middle-income group, been so taxed for the failures of the state government. On everything, even the cost of probate when we die.

So, if the federal Coalition gets its messaging right, the federal election will give Victorians their first real opportunity to send a message to the Victorian government.

Invariably, people vote not for Oppositions but to pass judgment on governments.

Regardless of what Victorians think about the current federal government, the failure, the cost, the pain felt by Victorians because of the Victorian government, I suspect Victorian’s will use the federal election to wield the baseball against Labor governments, federal and state, but in particular to send a message to the Victorian government.

Increasingly, Victorians are also realising there is no safe haven in voting for the Teals or the Greens.

Increasingly, Victorians are also realising there is no safe haven in voting for the Teals or the Greens. Picture: Martin Ollman

In my federal electorate of Kooyong, Teal MP Monique Ryan has voted 74 per cent of the times with the Greens, 62 per cent with Labor and 36 per cent with the coalition. Victoria’s Teals in the main vote Greens or Labor.

As for the Greens, we all know what they stood for under the leadership of Bob Brown. The environment, conservation and climate change.

Today the Greens stand for inciting division and hatred, attending rallies that occupy university properties, supporting the CFMEU leadership while governments are attempting to hold them to account for criminal activities. While making expensive promises the country cannot afford, and if ever implemented would only add to inflation and keeping interest rates high.

The Teals and the Greens are luxuries the country can’t afford.

Victorians have had a gutful of Labor’s mismanagement and foisting the blame for their mistakes on Victorians and businesses. I suspect the federal election will be a massive referendum on the Victorian government.

Stay well.

Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria

Originally published as Jeff Kennett: Federal election a referendum on the Victorian government