In challenging times, Victoria needs more from a leader under pressure

March 21, 2026 — 5:00am

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“We just have to keep the show on the road.”

This remark, from an anonymous senior figure in the Victorian Labor Party’s Right faction, came in a week when the steady months-long drip of questions about what Premier Jacinta Allan knew and when in relation to CFMEU conduct on Big Build sites became a torrent.

As the political and actual costs of that scandal become clearer, and as Victoria’s debts mount, “the show” becomes more and more difficult to maintain.

This week’s revelations that the Department of Transport and Planning presided over a $136.8 million blowout on the implementation of the myki ticketing system prompted a government spokesperson to respond with the usual boilerplate about “delivering the projects Victorians need”.

But are we are getting value for money? The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office says running the myki scheme could absorb 26¢ of every $1 it collects in fare revenue, when schemes around the world cost far less. Who in this government is prepared to explain why that is? While they’re at it, they could explain why another auditor-general report this week revealed the government is still stiffing small........

© The Age