Treasurer Jaclyn Symes,ordered the review in February 2025, to "zero in on waste and inefficiency" across the Victorian public sector and provide recommendations to reduce public sector jobs back to pre-pandemic levels.
The report was completed and handed to government at the end of June 2025 but is yet to be released.
Whilst this report sits on the Treasurer's desk, new data from the Department of Treasury and Finance has confirmed four separate consultancies for "support for the Independent Review into the Victorian Public Sector" were engaged across 2024-25, including:
- Ernst & Young - $90,000
- Ernst & Young - $346,000
- Gilbert + Tobin - $1,384,374
- Nous Group Pty Ltd - $289,000
These costs are in addition to the $203,000 paid to Helen Silver AO for conducting the review.
Furthermore, the recipient of the largest consultancy, Gilbert + Tobin, made a $3,866 donation to the Victorian Labor Party in November 2023.
Under the Allan Labor Government, Victoria's net debt is growing by more than $2 million an hour and set to exceed a record $194 billion by 2028-29.
Shadow Treasurer Jess Wilson said: "Labor's use of consultants and a donor to advise on how best to cut jobs reveals the Allan Labor Government's gross hypocrisy.
"Only Labor would spend more than $2.1 million on consultants for a review into improving the efficiency of the public service.
"The Treasurer commissioned this review at the beginning of the year and has sat on a final report since June and done nothing.
"Jaclyn Symes has had long enough. If the Treasurer is serious about reducing waste and inefficiencies within Victoria's public sector she must release the Silver Review today."
