The ‘very real issue’ Jeff Kennett says is leaving essential government services in strife

The number of senior public servants in Victoria has almost tripled under the Andrews government.

In June 2014, the Napthine government had 647 executives. That number is now at least 1742.

Among executive public servants the average wage is $250,000, but 25 earn more than $500,000 per year.

Former Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett says it’s “a very real issue” and it’s leaving essential government services in trouble.

“We now have the worst … predicted debt per head of population of any state in Australia,” he told Seb Costello, filling in for Tom Elliott.

“Not only are people being paid at a huge rate and at a faster growth rate than the private sector … but a lot of them are being promoted based on their political affiliation.

“They’re not being appointed because they’re the best people for the job.”

Many major infrastructure projects are experiencing cost blowouts, and Mr Kennett says essential government-funded services are suffering as a result.

“My knowledge of those who have been elevated are that a lot of them are simply not skilled within the discipline they’re heading and certainly they’re not disciplined in managing large portfolios of money and large portfolios of people,” he said.

“Some of the infrastructure is in principal good infrastructure that the government is building, but their control over the contracts has been abysmal … [they] are billions of dollars over budget … the problem with that is it’s so rapidly increasing our debt so that a lot of the services our government provides are not getting the attention or the money they require.”

Press PLAY below to hear Jeff Kennett’s view