The Victorian government continues to face scrutiny over public sector spending and policy decisions under Premier Ben Carroll, who assumed office earlier this month. Among the issues drawing attention is a recently posted job advertisement for a Multicultural Co-ordinator General role within the Department of Premier and Cabinet, offering a salary range of $344,616 to $400,741, exclusive of superannuation.

Carroll has taken steps to reduce the size of his ministry from 22 to 20 members and has initiated a royal commission into corruption in the state’s construction industry. He has also indicated an intention to revisit policies implemented by his predecessor, including scaling back working-from-home regulations and re-evaluating large infrastructure projects such as the Suburban Rail Loop, which has been criticized for its escalating costs.

Nonetheless, public sector expenditure remains a contentious point. The number of Victorian public sector executives, earning between approximately $250,000 and $800,000 annually, surged from 69 in 2012 to 1,902 in 2022. During the same period, the state’s population grew by 18 percent. The public sector currently employs roughly one in ten Victorians, and total employee costs have increased from $26 billion in the 2019-2020 financial year to an anticipated $41 billion in the current budget year.

Critics argue that such growth in executive roles and public sector wages is excessive and alienates working-class communities that Carroll represents. Despite Carroll’s background, which includes eight years working at Kmart during his youth, observers suggest that entrenched bureaucratic interests and previous government policies under former Premiers Dan Andrews and Jacinta Allan present significant obstacles to reform.

One area of controversy involves the First Nations Assembly, Gellng Warl, which is expected to cost more than $70 million annually. Opponents cite the 60 percent voter rejection rate of a similar Indigenous voice referendum as grounds for abolishing the assembly, particularly in the context of Victoria’s rising net debt, forecast to reach nearly $200 billion, with interest payments projected to consume a quarter of state tax revenue by 2030.

Taxation and energy policies are also under debate. Victorian businesses continue to pay a COVID-19 levy as well as a mental health levy, measures not imposed by other Australian states. Additionally, proposed restrictions from the Andrews government’s Gas Substitution Roadmap aim to phase out gas usage in new dwellings by 2027, a mandate some stakeholders consider impractical. Notably, the government has approved liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals at Geelong and Vopak while maintaining plans to reduce domestic gas demand. Moreover, onshore conventional gas exploration has been permitted since 2021, reversing an earlier ban.

Calls are mounting for Carroll to reconsider these policies, including the working-from-home mandates introduced under his predecessors, which have been criticized for hampering productivity and increasing costs for employers. The new Premier’s decision to commission an inquiry into construction sector corruption has garnered some bipartisan approval, though opposition parties remain cautious about his ability to enact broader economic and administrative reforms.

Additional recommendations from critics include issuing an apology for the state’s COVID-19 public health restrictions, which many view as excessive and damaging to Melbourne’s international reputation. Support for law enforcement amid rising crime rates and youth unrest has also been highlighted as a potential area for government engagement.

As Carroll settles into his role, the balance between managing inherited policies and pursuing reform remains a focal point for observers monitoring Victoria’s political and economic trajectory.