Surprises ahead in Victorian budget

It won't just be election promises in Monday's Victorian budget, but Premier Daniel Andrews is not revealing any of his surprises.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews,

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas will deliver the Labor government's budget next week. (AAP)

Victorians can expect a few surprises in next week's state budget, but Premier Daniel Andrews isn't giving away any clues.

Treasurer Tim Pallas will deliver the re-elected Labor government's financial plan on Monday after it was delayed for a month to take into account the federal election result and subsequent funding streams from Canberra.

Mr Andrews insists there will be new items in the budget as well as state election promises and a surplus, but would not be drawn on new taxes or charges.

"There'll be some new things there and I'll let the treasurer announce it in due course on Monday," he told reporters.

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said the government should be focusing on fixing hospital emergency department wait times, improved school student performance and solving stockpiling problems in the recycling sector.

Mr Andrews said he did want to see more federal money flowing to schools and health.

The state government is going to have to renegotiate with the federal coalition over school funding after holding out from signing the new Gonski deal, claiming it was not good enough.

Infrastructure funding is set to be an ongoing point of contention. The federal government has promised $4 billion to build Melbourne's dumped East West Link road, but Mr Andrews again on Tuesday refused to consent to the project, which he's previously said does not "stack up".

Mr O'Brien said Mr Andrews needed to stop waiting for the federal government to foot the bill.

"If Daniel Andrews doesn't want to just step up and take responsibility for his government and his budget then he should go home and do something else," Mr O'Brien said.


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Source: AAP



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