Chucking money at the once were beat-ups

TALK about leaving things to the last minute.

After months of telling everyone who will listen that Victoria is the safest state and has the best hospital system in the country, the Brumby government has turned around and delivered a election year budget that throws money at law and order and the health system.

It is a budget that is ruthlessly political and aimed at clawing back the sliding popularity of the decade-old government and its never-tested at the ballot box Premier just over six months from the election.

But what a turnaround. Just last month John Brumby wrote in The Australian, during his fight with Kevin Rudd over health reforms, that although the health system was not perfect, it was the best going around: "Universally, commentators have said Victoria runs the best and most efficient hospital system".

He had also been continuing boasting that Victoria is Australia's safest state, suggesting the Liberals were exaggerating the extent of the crime problem. "We are the safest state in Australia, full stop," Mr Brumby said at the beginning of the year.

And after NSW Premier Kristina Keneally made comments that international students should come to her state following the controversy over alleged attacks on Indian students, Mr Brumby snapped: "The facts remain: we are seen as the most liveable city anywhere in Australia".

So safe, so healthy, so liveable that Brumby and his Treasurer John Lenders threw every dollar they could get his hands on to these very issues. Count the cash: $684 million to put almost 2000 more police on the streets, $4 billion for the health system and millions more to staff "high-risk" train stations hit with increasing crime problems.

Pity the opposition had already announced a 1600 boost to police numbers and an additional security officers to man the trains at night.

This budget shows that the very stubborn Premier has has finally caved into the concerns of voters and thrown around the cash accordingly. Whether it is too little too late will be decided in November.