A decade ago, during its final year in office, the former Coalition government used treasurer’s advances to pay for just 19 policies worth a total of $364.6 million.
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas.Credit: Joe Armao
The exponential increase has prompted the opposition to claim the government is using the advance to avoid scrutiny on how it is spending taxpayer money.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto said Labor’s “misuse” of treasurer’s advances should not be allowed to become the new norm.
“The Allan Labor government’s increasing reliance on emergency payments to fund core government business reflects just how dire Victoria’s finances have become,” Pesutto said. “Labor’s misuse of treasurer’s advances undermines transparency, accountability and proper financial management.”
But Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, who was taking questions on behalf of ministers on Sunday, insisted treasurer’s advances didn’t just exist for disasters or emergencies.
Loading
“It’s happened in my portfolio with a bunch of different projects,” Dimopoulos said. “The government will decide to hold some money centrally in contingency for a particular project. When the agency that’s responsible for delivering that project delivers milestones, it then gets paid.
“It’s pre-budgeted, it’s just milestone payments, it’s responsible government.”
The $9.6 billion in treasurer’s advances is shy of the $12 billion “credit card” limit that The Age revealed in May was available to Pallas.
Labor MPs have been told to limit funding requests for their electorate as senior ministers prepare for another difficult budget.
Victoria’s net debt is expected to peak at $187.8 billion by the middle of 2028 – equivalent to about one-quarter of the state economy.
Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter.