In May 2023, the Victorian Government announced the COVID Debt Repayment Plan, which aims to reduce government spending by $2.1 billion over four years without cutting frontline services.

The government asked departments to cut back-office roles, labour hire and consultancy spending to deliver these savings. Departments have to plan, implement and monitor how they reduce corporate and back-office roles in line with the government's intention to protect frontline services.

This audit examined seven departments to see if their savings plans and delivery protected frontline services. It also examined the Department of Premier and Cabinet's (DPC) and Department of Treasury and Finance's (DTF) roles in guiding departments to develop savings plans. The report looks at nine departments to see if they met their 2023–24 savings targets.