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From Auditor finds hundreds of millions in waste in Victoria's Covid response

How could the exposure of Covid response financial waste affect the Victorian Labor Party?

Possible What happens if… A possibility worth considering, not a forecast.

Covid waste findings may damage Victorian Labor Party's reputation The Auditor-General's Office found that Victoria's Covid response, which cost at least $39bn, involved hundreds of millions in waste. This included over $771m of unused PPE equipment written off by the Department of Health and $72.5m in Covid grants written off by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions. Shadow Attorney-General James Newbury used these findings, calling them a "damning indictment of Labor’s waste, mismanagement and failure to protect taxpayers’ money," which could negatively impact the party's political standing.

Reported by 1 independent outlet Written Oct 22
Effect
Strong negative
How direct
Stated in the reporting
When
Over the long term
The story
Gone quiet

How it reaches Victorian Labor Party

Reported by news outlets

Tap any step to see the evidence behind it.

The facts so far

As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.

  • Victoria’s Covid response exposed as auditor reveals hundreds of millions in waste, totaling at least $39bn.perthnow.com.au
  • The Department of Health wrote off more than $771m of unused PPE equipment between 2023 and 2025.perthnow.com.au
  • The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions wrote off $72.5 million in Covid grants by June 2025.perthnow.com.au
  • Shadow Attorney-General James Newbury called the findings a "damning indictment of Labor’s waste, mismanagement and failure to protect taxpayers’ money."perthnow.com.au

Why it matters

The financial waste uncovered during the pandemic response represents a significant political liability for the Victorian Labor Party. The scale of the spending, estimated at $39.8 billion by the end of 2025–26, combined with the hundreds of millions written off, provides political opponents with powerful ammunition to challenge the party's integrity and competence in managing public funds.

This criticism is part of a broader political dynamic where the transition of leadership and government exposes the legacy of previous administrations. The findings highlight the difficulty in getting a clear picture of the ongoing financial impact, as the Department of Treasury and Finance stopped consolidating Covid spending reporting after 2021-22.

What we don't know yet

  • Will the political criticism translate into measurable electoral losses for the Victorian Labor Party?
  • What specific actions will the new government take to address the identified waste and mismanagement?

What would change this answer

The Auditor-General's Office releases further reports detailing the scope of financial mismanagement.The negative political pressure on the Victorian Labor Party would increase, making the effect stronger and more immediate.
The Victorian Labor Party successfully counters the criticism by demonstrating robust oversight mechanisms.The political damage could be mitigated, causing the effect to fade or become less certain.

Who else could feel it

Other possible ripples from the same event.

Reporting

Keep going

The full eventAuditor finds hundreds of millions in waste in Victoria's Covid response Everything aboutVictorian Labor Party

Brind's analysis is written by AI from the reporting linked above and can be wrong. This explainer is a possibility worth considering, not a forecast: steps marked as Brind's reasoning are not stated in the reporting. It is not investment advice; do your own research.