Victorian budget
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- Melbourne
‘Find someone to hug’: Museums Victoria to cut 55 jobs, raise ticket prices after funding slashed
New spending on exhibition spaces and IT upgrades will be deferred after big cuts in this year’s state budget.
- Clay Lucas
Latest
Jobs Department faces major staff cuts under public sector restructure
The proposed restructure would cut about 100 jobs within the department, including all of Creative Victoria’s music and screen workers.
- Rachel Eddie
Victoria keeps its AA credit rating despite warnings over project costs
The state has a stable outlook, according to S&P Global, but Suburban Rail Loop costs could blow out.
- Kieran Rooney
- Exclusive
- Planning
Cost of planning new suburbs skyrockets as approvals collapse
New analysis has revealed a dramatic slowdown in the delivery of new suburbs by the state’s planning authority.
- Daniella White
The newly elected militants leading the public sector union
Public service workers bracing for thousands of job cuts have elected a new leadership at their union for the first time in 32 years. Jiselle Hanna doesn’t want to waste her unlikely success.
- Rachel Eddie
Parents ‘stockpiling’ uniforms ahead of changes to school bonus program
Uniform retailers have struggled to meet demand as parents buy up more than they need, spending $81 million on uniforms since November as other bonus money remains unspent.
- Bridie Smith
- Exclusive
- Healthcare
Heart hospital closing operating theatre, beds for ‘fiscal sustainability’
Doctors warn patients with life-threatening cardiac conditions will wait longer for treatment because of cost-cutting at the state’s new $600 million specialist hospital.
- Broede Carmody and Henrietta Cook
- Exclusive
- Public transport
Taxpayers fork out almost $500m to shield Metro Trains from pandemic fallout
Victoria is paying Metro Trains to offset lower passenger revenue, ensuring the private rail operator records bumper profits despite patronage falling as a result of work-from-home habits.
- Patrick Hatch and Kieran Rooney
- Exclusive
- Mental health
Mental health watchdog muzzled by ‘drastic’ budget cuts
Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission chair Treasure Jennings says the funding cuts leave the commission unable to do the work it was established to do.
- Chip Le Grand and Grant McArthur
Bots to help fill Victoria’s budget hole: State hopes AI can slash costs
Treasurer Jaclyn Symes says AI and automation will help the government find $3.3 billion in savings.
- Daniella White