Victorian Auditor-General calls for COVID-19 spending transparency

The Victorian Auditor-General's Office has reported a lack of transparent, easily accessible reporting regarding the total costs of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While previous estimates placed the total cost at approximately $39.8 billion, the watchdog noted that the full figure remains unclear due to insufficient cross-departmental reporting.

The report highlights that the government ceased publishing data on cross-departmental pandemic initiatives after the 2021-22 period, despite previous recommendations to do so. This lack of data persists even as the state continues to incur costs, including legal fees and the management of flawed payments.

Additional financial concerns include the write-off of expired personal protective equipment, estimated at over $770 million between 2023 and 2025. Furthermore, the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions has written off at least $72.5 million in flawed COVID-19 grants as of mid-2025.