The Victorian Auditor-General has found the Allan Government spent nearly $12 billion on contractors and consultants over four years, breaking its election promise to cut waste.
Despite repeatedlypromising to reduce spending, Labor has cumulatively spent $11.6 billion between 2018-19 and 2021-22 on consultants and contractors. Since coming to government in 2014, Labor has spent a total of $24.4 billion on consultants, contractors and labour hire.
The new figures released today by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) show spending on contractors and consultants by the public service increased by a staggering 47 per cent between 2018-19 and 2021-22.
Alarmingly, only two departments reduced spending and only one met the 50 per cent reduction target, while VAGO found several departments did not meet reporting directions or expectations around transparency.
Shadow Special Minister of State, David Hodgett, said: “Yet again Labor is trying to hide the scale of their financial mismanagement.
“This is another broken Labor promise from a government that doesn’t seem to care how many promises it breaks and how much Victorian taxpayers’ money it wastes.”
Shadow Minister for Finance, Jess Wilson, said: “The Allan Government can’t manage money, as demonstrated by a staggering 47 per cent increase in spending on contractors and consultants in just four years.
“On top of this dramatic increase in consultants, Labor has also grown the size of the public sector – all whilst outcomes across vital government services including health, roads, education and child protection continue to worsen.”
