Victorians are being promised no new or higher taxes in today’s state budget, with the treasurer keen to avoid more backlash as fury continues over fire services changes.
Health is the one big area the government’s been silent on so far.
Treasurer Jaclyn Symes joined the premier and dozens of young future taxpayers to show off Parkville Station.
We understands there will be an extra $11.1 billion tipped into that department, a record $9.3 billion of it going into hospitals to give them certainty to plan for the future.
It’s the latest of the frontline services to be promised a huge boost.
Other areas of government are on notice though and the axe is going to be swung.
The day before her biggest gig yet, Treasurer Jaclyn Symes was double checking her first budget papers after earlier labelling the job “a lotta hard work”.
She joined Premier Jacinta Allan and dozens of young future taxpayers to show off Parkville Station.
Free travel on public transport for children from next year will be a key offering.
Allan promised “meaningful cost of living support, real help, right now”.
She also revealed ahead of time a slim surplus: originally forecast to be $1.5 billion, it’s now just $600 million.
That’s deliberate, says the treasurer.
“We could of elected to have a bigger surplus but what we chose to do is back Victorians,” Symes said.
Shadow treasurer James Newbury told Victorians not to “listen to the government spin”.
“The truth is people are being taxed more and getting less,” he said.
There is a promise too of no new or increased taxes besides the fire services changes and congestion levy hikes announced in December.
“There is nothing in the budget that changes the tax settings tomorrow,” Symes said.
There’s already been a full week of big spending pre-budget announcements.
The one area the government’s not so eager to talk about is what exactly they’re planning to cut back to save some money.
Blitzing breakfast TV two days early, Allan would only reference “responsible decisions”, her treasurer calling them tough decisions.
“Yes there will be less public servants in Victoria,” Symes said
How many and how much it will save is unclear.
“I think we’ve got the balance right,” she said.
“Can you please everyone? No you can’t.”
