Cost overruns threaten to define Jacinta Allan’s premiership as Victoria’s ‘big build’ faces huge budget blowouts

Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, blames ‘unforseen global circumstances’ for major infrastructure cost blow-outs but the problems could damage her reputation. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

Victorians could be forgiven for missing the news late last week that the North East Link had blown out by $10bn.

After all, Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel, first expected to cost $500m, then revised to $5.5bn, is now $10.2bn and counting, while the city’s Metro Tunnel has blown out by at least $1.36bn.