The report shares outcomes of an audit on Victoria's financial report and an independent perspective on the state's financial outcomes and risks to fiscal sustainability. It also shares the audit outcomes of state-controlled material entities. The report provides recommendations for the Department of Treasury and Finance and material entities.

Australia’s government expenditure has surged to a post-war high of 38%–39% of GDP. The growth of government spending is a serious economic concern because of what it means for persistent budget deficits, rising public debt and taxation, weak productivity growth and the societal consequences of a deepening dependency on government. This report calls for immediate...

The 2025-26 Tasmanian budget forecast a significant increase in the state’s debt. This is despite the fact that the state will generate increased revenues. The cost of the yet-to-be-built Macquarie Point Stadium has become a lightning rod for debate about the state government’s priorities. This paper outlines how the state could increase revenue.

The paper presents data on six measures of living standards: mortgage stress, disposable income, the number of Australians with more than one job, household price levels, tax burden and debt burden. It finds that price level rises in various household goods and services all exceeded wages growth between 2022 and 2024.

This examination of growing off-budget spending by Australian federal and state governments warns that the practice sacrifices transparency and accountability to advance policy objectives. The author argues that by improving the appearance (but not the reality) of the budget position, the practice creates long-term fiscal risks that are not fully appreciated by government.