The 2022 election promises Victorian Labor has fulfilled – and broken

The Victorian government, under former premier Daniel Andrews and now Jacinta Allan, has had a full year to make a start on its 2022 state election commitments and progress promises from years prior. Friday also marked Allan’s 100th day as premier. So how is Labor tracking? We took a look at progress on some of the government’s signature policies.

Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan a day after Labor’s 2022 election win.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Bring back the SEC

A key plank in Daniel Andrews’ re-election pitch was the revival of Victoria’s State Electricity Commission. A new-look SEC would, according to the then-premier, drive down energy prices by reinvesting any profits into energy generation. In a December 2022 press release, the government said it would initially invest $1 billion in renewable energy projects, and that it would hold a “controlling interest” in each of them. But so far, the government has revealed it has less than a 50 per cent share in its first SEC investment – a large battery farm in Melbourne’s west.

V/Line

Regional train fares were capped at $9.20 a day in late March, fulfilling an election commitment to slash the cost of V/Line travel from as much as $92 return from Swan Hill, $68.80 from Bendigo and $45.60 from Ballarat.

The drastically cheaper tickets have led to crowded services. And with myki fares rising from January 1, so, too, did regional tickets. From Monday, regional fares were now capped at $10.60.

There has been a huge spike in the number of V/Line tickets being sold since daily travel was capped.Credit: Eddie Jim

Commonwealth Games

The former Andrews government announced regional Victoria would host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in April 2022 and campaigned on the event in regional electorates during the election.

But the government abandoned the Games in July last year, citing an almost three-fold increase in costs to up to $7 billion.

The government will still spend $2 billion on legacy infrastructure for the regions.

Free pads and tampons

The government promised to provide free sanitary items at 700 public sites during the final weeks of the election campaign.

Last month, Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins announced the government was contacting shortlisted companies that bid to deliver 1500 dispensers.

They are expected to be rolled out this year.

Surplus by 2026

Treasurer Tim Pallas promised a $1 billion operating surplus by the 2025-26 financial year. In December, Treasury said Victoria was still on track to achieve that.

However, Treasury warned of risks to that assumption and produced modelling in case there was worse-than-expected consumer spending. If that came to pass, the budget update said an operating surplus could be pushed beyond the forecasting period.

Nursing sign-on bonus

During the 2022 election campaign, Andrews also promised a $5000 bonus for nurses if they sign up for two years of work in the public health system.

Daniel Andrews announces the nursing sign-on bonus during the 2022 election campaign.Credit: Eddie Jim

The first round of new graduates received their initial payments in May 2023.

Free car registration for apprentices

A $9.7 million election promise was to make car registrations free for apprentices who need their vehicles for work.

At the time, Andrews said that was because bricklayers, carpenters, electricians and plumbers were the “lifeblood of Labor’s Big Build”.

This promise was met in July when junior tradies became eligible to save up to $865 a year.

Neighbourhood batteries

Labor also promised $42 million to install 100 neighbourhood batteries around the state. The pitch was to expand battery access for homes with solar panels, so more people could store their power or return the surplus to the grid.

As of August 2023, neighbourhood batteries had been allocated to 29 of Victoria’s 79 local government areas.

The government says it will work with community organisations, local governments and distribution companies to identify the locations for the remaining 70 or so batteries.

Suburban Rail Loop

Although initially promised in 2018, Labor vowed to plough ahead with its Suburban Rail Loop at the 2022 election, while the Coalition promised to halt construction and prioritise health spending. The first major works contract was inked last month, for tunnelling to begin in 2026, for the SRL East.

Allan insists the first stage of the rail link, which will connect Cheltenham to Box Hill, was still expected to cost between $30 billion and $35 billion despite pressures on the construction sector. On the first Monday after the 2022 election, the government said: “SRL Airport is also underway from Sunshine to Melbourne Airport, delivering a long-awaited rail connection to the airport by 2029.” However, the Victorian government asked the Albanese government to delay the Airport Rail and paused work during a federal infrastructure review. The project survived that review, but the state remains in a stand-off with the airport over whether its station is above or underground.

Community hospitals

Another 2018 election commitment for 10 community hospitals in growing suburban communities will not be delivered on time and is expected to be significantly over budget. A recent report by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office rated the program “red”, meaning its budget was at the highest risk.

As a result, the scope of the project was being reconsidered to keep funding within the $675 million budget. Construction was supposed to begin in 2022 and end by 2024. But Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas last month said construction was underway at only five of the hospitals, “with important planning and preparatory work continuing on the remaining sites”.

At the 2022 election, Labor made more funding announcements for major hospitals. The government has so far funded $320 million in planning for seven new and upgraded major hospitals.

For example, the new Queen Elizabeth II hospital will replace the Maroondah Hospital in a $1.05 billion rebuild and a new hospital for the northern suburbs is expected to cost $1.155 billion.

In a statement, Allan said the government had not wasted a moment since the election.

“In just one year, we’ve made studying to become a nurse or midwife free, rego is now free for apprentice tradies, we’re getting on with building the schools, hospitals and transport connections Victorians deserve – and we’ve officially brought back the SEC,” she said.

“There’s always more work to do, and with every promise we made to the community at the election funded in this year’s budget, we’ll continue our work to deliver the things that Victorians care about.”

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