Monday 16 December 2024
Treasurer Tim Pallas departs the job with a terrible record of failure as the Allan Labor Government continues to snub regional Victorians.
While Mr Pallas was a personable Member of Parliament, Treasurers can only be judged by the numbers – and they make him one of the worst in Victorian history.
The brutal reality is Mr Pallas leaves a legacy of debt, deficit and disaster for Victorians.
Under Premier Jacinta Allan and Labor, we can’t see that changing.
It is an ugly checklist – we have the highest property taxes, we have the highest debt and we have the highest debt to Gross State Product ratio – significantly higher than that of the John Cain/Joan Kirner Labor Government.
What that means is worse services, higher cost-of-living, an inability to get housing due to the taxes on property and reduced access to the health services and ambulances we need.
Labor can’t manage money and regional Victorians, in particular, are paying the price.
Under Mr Pallas and Premier Allan, we’ve seen $41 billion in cost overruns on mega-projects in the city.
While these projects in Melbourne blow out, we in regional Victoria are driving around on goat tracks.
Our roads are crumbling and the government’s infrastructure spend in regional Victoria is appalling.
Regional Victoria is 25 per cent of the state’s population, yet receives only 13 per cent of infrastructure spend. It simply doesn’t add up.
Mr Pallas’ parting gift on Friday, the doubling of a re-branded Fire Services Property Levy, summed up his time at the helm.
It’s a desperately unfair tax, with primary produces forced to pay a 189 per cent increase in fire taxes. It was Labor’s 57th new or increased tax or charge.
You’re only as good as your numbers, and Mr Pallas and Labor have failed dismally.
Media contact: Mark Stevens 0412 780 563 mark.stevens@opposition.vic.gov.au