State debt to rise the equivalent of $34,000 for every working Victorian, Liberal MP says

The Andrews’ government has made a “brazen attempt” to cover up cost blow outs and project delays because it hasn’t published a key budget paper, the state opposition says.

The Andrews’ government has made a “brazen attempt” to cover up cost blowouts and project delays because it hasn’t published a key budget paper, the state opposition says.

Liberal MP Beverley McArthur said for a decade state governments had published an itemised list of state capital projects but the Andrews’ government had failed to continue the trend when it released its budget this week.

“It’s a disgrace that for the first time in a decade, the treasurer has failed to publish the State’s Capital Program,” Ms McArthur said.

“Hiding this list of infrastructure schemes, their timelines and project costs, is a blatant attempt to suppress the huge delays and budget blowouts which dog every major infrastructure project the Andrews government are currently pursuing.”

But Treasurer Tim Pallas said the State Capital Program budget paper was not produced for the 2020-21 budget because of the disruption coronavirus caused both to projects and to the release of the budget which traditionally is handed down in May.

“We are currently going through a process of reviewing all of those projects. Some have been affected by time, some will have been affected by cost,” Mr Pallas said.

Western Victoria Liberal MP Bev McArthur. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

He said the State Capital Program budget paper would be produced for the next state budget which is likely to be released in May.

Meanwhile Ms McArthur said she was annoyed the government could not find $300,000 to fix the Mt Gellibrand fire tower.

She also raised concerns about the level of debt that the government had taken on to fund its big spending agenda with debt estimated to rise from $86.7bn this year, to $109bn by the time the November 2022 election is held, and to $154.8bn by 2023-24.

“It’s a reckless gamble which will see Victorians for generations saddled with rising debt repayments,’’ she said.

“Daniel Andrews inherited a state debt of $21bn, but the budget announcements will take that well above $150bn. That’s more than $34,000 for every working age Victorian.”

She said the move would saddle generations with debt.

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Originally published as State debt to rise the equivalent of $34,000 for every working Victorian, Liberal MP says