In February 2025, Treasurer Jaclyn Symes ordered a review 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, known as the Silver Review, was completed and handed to the Treasurer by the end of June 2025 but is yet to be released.
Whilst the Allan Labor Government continues to sit on this report, recently released Victorian Government Department annual reports have confirmed $146.65 million was spent on consultancies valued at $10,000 or more across 2024-25, an increase of over $18 million on the year prior.
Furthermore, Victorian Government Department employee benefits expenditure has blown out by more than $4 billion on initial 2024-25 budget levels, with Victoria's 10 departments all overspending their budgets across this period.
Under the Allan Labor Government, Victoria's net debt is growing by more than $2 million an hour as persistent shortages of police officers, teachers, healthcare professionals and child protection workers denies Victorians the quality frontline services they deserve.
Shadow Treasurer Jess Wilson said: "By failing to act on the Silver review, Treasurer Jaclyn Symes has abandoned any pretence of restoring responsible financial management and is leaving future generations to pay the price for Labor's reckless spending and waste.
"At the same time Labor is sitting on a report to cut the public service, they are overseeing billions in wage bill blowouts and increasing spending on consultants.
"Year after year, Victorians are spending more on the public service, more on external consultants yet outcomes across frontline health, transport, education and community safety services continue to deteriorate."
