‘Don’t be fooled’: Victorian Labor is spruiking feel-good budget policies, but there are hints of cuts to come

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan (left) and treasurer Jaclyn Symes. Ahead of the budget, the government is understood to be desperate to avoid hitting the $200bn debt threshold. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

There’s no denying the mood within the Victorian government is unusually upbeat ahead of Tuesday’s state budget.

Instead of the usual warnings of “tough” or “challenging” decisions in the lead-up – as has been the case in recent years – the premier, Jacinta Allan, has spent the week unveiling a string of big-ticket announcements, each accompanied by a press release headed with the budget’s title: “Focused on what matters most.”