AI mythbusting
The current public Artificial Intelligence debate suffers from a steady stream of misinformation and hyperbole on all sides. This is a basic background piece on “what is AI?”, “what is a data centre?”, “what is the scale of the electricity demand?”, “is this a boom and what does the bust look like?”, and “what can…
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Early learning reforms can’t work without the right workforce. The gap between rich and poor is widening.
Victoria’s substantial investment in Fee Kinder and state-built childcare centres remains unproven. Results so far suggest that while early learning improves cognitive outcomes, the gap between rich and poor students is actually widening. Potential “human capital” benefits (such as increased NAPLAN scores) are not shared across socio-economic groups and may not be sufficient to build…
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Cancel Brunswick Skyrail
Better Transport Outcomes for Merri-bek and the Upfield Corridor Transport investments must maximise accessibility, reliability, and value for taxpayers while respecting local communities and active transport users. Responsible Infrastructure Investment With the Brunswick Level Crossing Removal Project projected to cost well over $1 billion, I believe major infrastructure projects must demonstrate clear public benefit and…
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The rural maze – duplicated agriculture, energy and regional development schemes must stop
The Productivity Commission’s structural blueprints offer the only serious, evidence-based pathway to erase three-tier administrative waste and protect rural businesses from duplicate compliance loops. Decades of independent economic analysis prove that failing to reform these spaces directly penalises Victorian primary producers. Political parties that block these reforms are actively standing in the way of regional…
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Local government has exited from social services. A leap of blind faith with no soft landing
The withdrawal of local councils from childcare, aged care, and other frontline community services is one of the biggest changes in Victoria’s local government sector. Due to state-imposed rate caps and rising costs, many councils have stopped providing these services directly and transferred them to private companies or large non-profit organisations. Google backgrounder The widespread…
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Economic growth will remain highly challenging. The next government must address the structural gaps and risks
The Victorian economy is experiencing a mixed economic landscape, highlighted by an annual Real State Final Demand growth of 3.5% for the March 2026 quarter. But the Victorian economy faces many structural constraints and headwind risks that need addressing. Over a quarter of all Victorian workers (28.5%) find employment within public-predominant sectors, emphasising the state’s…
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Do you know how much of the state government’s services are privatised? ❌ No taxation without representation
Since the 1990s, successive Victorian governments have corporatised, commercialised and privatised a huge swathe of previously publicly owned assets. Even core regulatory functions, like VicRoads, are now run for-profit by private companies. In many cases, a one off payment was used to pay down debt or fund other infrastructure. In other cases, the outsourcing to…
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No smoke without fire
Building a modern, unified emergency response system For more than two decades, Victoria’s fire services have been the subject of persistent political conflict, industrial disputes, and structural instability. Despite the dedication of both career firefighters and volunteers, Victoria’s fire and emergency management system continues to fall short of internationally recognised best-practice models. A modern fire…
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Kerbside recycling has become a costly battleground with no winners
I support practical, affordable recycling solutions that reduce waste, protect the environment, and avoid unnecessary costs for Victorian households. I support the replacement of the one-size-fits-all 4-bin mandate with a more flexible, evidence-based approach that delivers better outcomes for residents, councils, and the environment. The Challenge The Victorian Government’s mandated 4-bin kerbside system has generated…
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Abolish the “Fair Go Rates System”
Victorian councils face a growing imbalance in how local government is funded and managed. Asset-to-Population MismatchMetropolitan councils benefit from large populations concentrated within relatively small geographic areas, allowing infrastructure costs to be shared across many ratepayers. In contrast, rural and regional shires manage vast road networks and extensive public assets with a much smaller ratepayer…
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Mel Yuan for Brunswick 