Victoria's top public servant has shut down a call from the auditor-general to look into ending the dreaded parliamentary tradition of "dump day".
The Victorian government typically releases a large volume of annual reports in parliament on one day towards the end of each year, making it difficult for media and other parties to rifle through them.
The practice has attracted the attention of Auditor-General Andrew Greaves in his annual financial report into Victoria, tabled in state parliament on Friday.
The auditor-general noted 179 annual reports from state-controlled entities were tabled in parliament on November 1, along with six others the previous day.
Under the Financial Management Act, state-controlled entities have until October 31 to table their annual reports.
"The time lag in tabling impedes accountability and transparency of entity performance because tabling a high volume of annual reports at the same time creates a significant information burden on parliamentarians and the Victorian community, making it challenging to consume key outcomes," Mr Greaves wrote.
After last year's Victorian state election, 265 annual reports and reviews were released in parliament on December 20.
Mr Greaves recommended the Department of Premier and Cabinet work with government, departments and state-controlled entities to reconsider the tabling schedule of annual reports.
His suggestion was rejected by Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Jeremi Moule, who declared the tabling of annual reports a matter for the responsible minister.
"DPC does not play a role in co-ordinating the tabling date of other departments or public body annual reports," Mr Moule wrote in a letter to Mr Greaves last week.
Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell said it showed the government was not interested in being open and transparent with Victorians.
"The only way to change that is to change the government in three years time," he said.
The auditor-general was scathing of the government's approach to taming mounting state debt.
Mr Greaves said the government had "not laid out a plan for when and how the state will pay down existing and future debt".
"Debt rose again this year at a pace faster than revenue and economic growth," he wrote.
"If it continues to grow at this pace, the cost of servicing debt will compound this fiscal challenge."
In May, the Victorian budget forecast net debt would hit $171.4 billion by mid-2027 - 24.5 per cent of gross state product.
The annual cost of servicing the debt was expected to rise to just shy of $8 billion within four years, adding up to $21 million a day.
The budget, the ninth handed down by Treasurer Tim Pallas, unveiled a $31.5 billion COVID-19 debt levy on big business and property investors, as well as up to 4000 public service job cuts.
Mr Greaves noted the state's general government sector was only able to post a $4.3 billion surplus because of the VicRoads joint venture, which netted the state $7.9 billion.
Serious deficiencies were uncovered in the delivery of grant programs, meaning it was likely that instances of fraud went undetected and errors were made in payments to some applicants.
A government spokesman insisted its four-step fiscal strategy remained on track.
"We are the only state or territory with a COVID debt repayment plan," he said in a statement.
