The Baillieu Government's economic direction is killing jobs and growth in Victoria as the mid year budget update announces even more spending cuts and the privatisation of aged services.  Their austerity settings have almost become self fullfilling as investment is withdrawn and families reduce their spending because of fears about their job security.  No wonder revenues are down.  Wasting over $100 million packaging out axed staff just to keep an $100 million surplus is suburban accountancy at best.  The Government has turned the budget into a stupid contest between building infrastructure & delivering services.  It's all their secret Vertigan mantra even citing the Better Services Task Force in the update as if this justifies the policy setting.  The Government should be called on to release Vertigan if they insist on applying it.  With the Service now full to overflowing with contractors and privateers, budget outlays will continue to rise despite the job cuts and the Government will lose its mandate in 2014.  Looking forward to it. 

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/12/austerity-economics-doesnt-work.html?mobify=0