Last week, the Victorian Liberals and Nationals launched a Budget Scorecard outlining key priorities the Allan Labor Government must deliver in the State Budget.
The Scorecard focused on ways to ease cost-of-living pressures, maintain critical frontline services, improve financial transparency andprovide a pathway to long-term budget repair.
Following the delivery of the State Budget today, Labor has failed the Scorecard by not delivering on any of the key priorities Victorians need, including:
- No cuts to frontline services: NOT DELIVERED - Labor has cut funding to a range of services including housing assistance, disability services, seniors programs, community crime prevention, waste and recycling, and wellbeing support for students.
- No new or increased taxes: NOT DELIVERED - Labor has increased the Fire Services Property Levy and Waste Levy, and Industrial Waste Levy.
- Removal of the Health Tax to make it cheaper to see your GP:NOT DELIVERED - Labor has failed to remove its regressive Health Tax.
- Scrap the unfair Schools Tax to maintain parental choice:NOT DELIVERED - Labor has failed to remove its unfair Schools Tax.
- A full plan to reduce Victoria's record debt and interest bill:NOT DELIVERED - Labor has no plan to reduce debt, which is now expected to climb to $187.8 billion by 2028, with interest repayments alone to reach over $25 million a day.
- Full transparency about cost blowouts on major projects:NOT DELIVERED - Labor continues to hide the true cost of its major projects, with no cost listed for the Suburban Rail Loop.
Leader of the Opposition, John Pesutto, said: "After a decade of budget mismanagement and cost blowouts, Labor knows only one solution and that's higher taxes, higher debt, and cuts to vital services.
"Our Budget Scorecard laid out a blueprint to ease cost-of-living pressures, maintain critical frontline health, education, infrastructure, community safety services and deliver a genuine pathway to reduce Labor's record debt.
"Labor has failed to deliver on every measure and Victorians are paying the price."
Shadow Treasurer, Brad Rowswell, said: "Labor has managed a trifecta of spending more, taxing more, yet producing worse outcomes.
"After a decade in office Victorians are paying record taxes, while a range of key indicators across health, education, transport, and housing continue to worsen.
"Victorians need a government that will live within its means, manage the budget properly, and deliver prosperity through increased activity and a thriving economy."
