Jeff Kennett: Labor must turn Victoria around or face annihilation in 2026

Victoria’s rising debt is causing palpable damage and the Labor government risks being wiped out in 2026 if they don’t stop focusing on their political opponents and take action to stem the blood loss.

I am the most fortunate of fellows. Brought up within a middle-income family where my mother retrained to earn an income to send me to the school of their choice.

I received a good education that had many elements, not all academic.

I was fortunate to have been called up for national service, the greatest benefit being the opportunity to meet and come to depend on young men I would not otherwise have met.

Army service and the resulting leadership taught me about respecting the uniform of my leaders if not the person wearing the uniform.

Understanding the value of what can be delivered by teams of people as opposed to an individual.

And then my parliamentary service during which the learnings of the above were applied.

Finally, the concept of public service, which is giving back to the community in which I have enjoyed so many opportunities.

The principles of good management in the modern Labor government are non-existent. Picture: Diego Fedele

The founding and chairing of Beyond Blue for 17 years and chairing The Torch for the past nine years, which has been working with incarcerated Indigenous men and women and on their release.

So, I believe in life as the totality of the whole, not any single part.

It is why, based on my experiences as a young man and as I progressed through life, I believe in the fundamentals underlining the existence of the Liberal Party. Invariably, it has been the Liberal Party that has been called to serve when the country or state has been in need.

Federally the Robert Menzies government for 17 years from 1947 after World War II, and the Howard government for 12 years from 1996.

In Victoria, the Bolte government for 17 years from 1952, and perhaps my government for seven years from 1992.

The make-up of Liberal members of parliament are drawn from a diverse background of professions and trades: farming, the law, business, medical, and the list goes on.

Our traditional rival, the Labor Party, mostly draws its members from trade unions, local government and having worked in the offices of Labor members of parliament.

The difference being the Liberal Party and its members have more commercial experience than those forming federal or state Labor governments.

The Victorian Labor government is economically totally irresponsible and causing almost immeasurable social harm to all generations of Victorians. Picture: Ian Currie

In the past the private sector has overwhelmingly supported the Coalition parties and governments and the union movement the Labor Party and governments. Nowhere has the divide been more obvious than here in Victoria for the past 12 years under Labor.

The principles of good management are non-existent. Because of a lack of commercial skills among the ministerial team, contracts have been signed and changed many times where now most contracts are on a cost-plus basis.

That is no government control at all. All projects are dramatically over budget and behind time on delivery.

The modern Victorian Labor Party has moved away from its traditional base of union members employed in delivering fundamental services to making well-remunerated employees delivering Victoria’s infrastructure projects.

Along the way as Victoria’s debt has risen, and the government has lifted taxes and charges beyond what many can afford, the damage being created for the majority is palpable.

Particularly for young Victorians wanting to buy a home, and even worse, for those needing rental accommodation.

The Liberal Party is not in the position to manage the economic and social disaster Labor has created but a lot will change by 2026. Picture: Getty Images

I have always believed a good government should be economically conservative and socially liberal.

That principle drove my government. A good team of qualified ministers and senior public servants.

The current Victorian Labor government is economically totally irresponsible and causing almost immeasurable social harm to all generations of Victorians.

That said, I believe in Victoria’s future. But that future must start now.

There is now division within the ranks of the Victorian government on continuing with parts of the infrastructure program and associated borrowings. Those who hold that view are correct. But they must act now in an attempt to reverse the impact of the economic trend that is occurring at a pace.

To those in the Labor government now I say, do not worry about your political opponents now, the state election is still 2½ years away, but if you do not act now, by the time the next election is held you will be wiped out electorally.

Reference what happened in 1992. The economic conditions you are creating now are 37 times worse than then.

By 2026 the public will be looking to a group of men and women who have the skills to manage the economic and social disaster you have created.

Clearly the Liberal Party is not in the position to do so today, but I believe a lot will change by 2026.

Better for state Labor to change direction now than put your necks, and that of Victoria, on the guillotine, just waiting for the blade to drop.

I believe.

Jeff Kennett is a former Premier of Victoria