What Happens in the Victorian State Budget Lockup
As a writer covering tech for many years, and more recently public transport – going to a budget lockup was a new experience for me.
I've been to many media events in the past. Apple's World Wide Developer Conference, press briefings with Google, forums and meetings where topics are discussed: sometimes on background, sometimes under embargo, and sometimes without any particular restrictions.
But the idea of a space where you hand over your phone for several hours, and aren't physically allowed to leave until told it's okay to do so – unheard of outside politics.
Me out the front of the venue, ready to hand my phone in.
How it goes down
Invitations make it clear: laptops are allowed, in airplane mode. Phones must be surrendered at the door.
In practice, someone could bring a spare phone and WiFi hotspot and not necessarily be discovered. But like most things in the press – this works on trust. Similarly, embargos work on trust too. A person cannot stop you releasing embargoed information, but they certainly won't trust you with it again, if you're found out.
Timeline
9.30am: Registration and phone handover
10.15am: Mingle, get a juice or coffee
10.30am: Let into the main room. Tables are allocated, like at a wedding reception
10.35am: People are welcomed to the room, explained the rules about not sharing information outside of the room. Physical budget papers are unveiled on tables around the room. People are instructed they can now go get them
10.40am: I return to my table with a stack of books. I realise I missed a few supplementary pages, so return to collect that.
10.45am: People pore over the budget papers, looking for anything new. Most major details are announced prior to this event – so people in the room are looking for anything not mentioned
10.50am: Information is shared between people at the table. "Have you seen this?" Government advisors walk around and let it be known they can answer questions on background.
11.00am: The Premier, Deputy Premier, and Treasurer all make speeches, basically spruiking the budget. The Treasurer has slides to covey the future budget position, as she sees it.
11.30am: More questions to advisors, seeing if there is any more context that can be delivered on certain items or projects. Many type furiously on laptops, hoping to have a press release or article published once the room is let out.
12pm: Lunch is served. Wraps, sandwiches, pita, some chocolate goodies. Some people ignore this and keep typing. Me? I've seen what I need to see, and spoken to who I need to. So I tuck in and chat to people from other fields. Treasury, tourism, food banks, unions, drugs and alochol. I'm not sure for or against.
12.30pm: I notice how I cannot remember the last time I was in a room where no-one had phones on them. Except the government advisors – they all had their phones. But for everyone else, there was no such thing as standing in the corner scrolling the weather app to look busy. I'm not one to be super nostalgic about a time before phones, but it was oddly calming. Actually I take it back – Secret Cinema in London also takes your phones, and that was also an experience, arguably more fun than this.
1.00pm: I see people making a dash to leave. I'm mid-way through another coffee. It's clear that the Premier must have now presented the budget to parliament, which means everything is now public and everyone in the lockup can go home.
1.10pm: I stop into the brewery next door to get a small hazy IPA, and download the PDFs of the budget which are now public. Cmd-F to check for anything I've missed in the printed budget.
Ah, Cmd-F
What was announced for transport?
Pre-announced already was the business case for Melton line electrification; as well as half-price fares for the rest of 2026. New trains are funded, also known – and Daniel Bowen sitting next to me, was kind enough to point out the page which pointed out the page measuring Myki touch-on speeds – an esoteric historical item, but still better to measure things that impact passenger experience, no matter how niche.
Target for 2026-2027 is 37 touches per minute. Via Department Performance Statement 2026-27.
Lots of bus plans were also pre-announced, much to the appreciation of Peter Parker, who sat at my table.
The main new item was the return of the case to duplicate and extend the Upfield Line to Wallan; and the funds for final planning.
Valuable, or pointless theatre?
Many might argue that the budget lockup is pure theatrics, and somewhat pointless.
On the other hand, I do see value in the idea that the people making decisions about public money, should at least have to be in a room with the people impacted by their decisions – or at least the representatives of the people via community groups, industry associations, unions, and professional bodies.
I also think its worthwhile sharing what happens in events like this, as not everyone is invited, so the least I can do is be a useful conduit between the public and the decision makers, where I can.