Aug 14, 2026 – 5.00amJacinta Allan’s government defied a warning from Treasury about raiding the coffers of the Victorian Legal Services Board to cover a budget shortfall at the justice department, taking $300 million to pay for items including community legal centres and departmental support for Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny.The revelation highlights the economic challenges facing Victoria, with new Premier Ben Carroll saying on Thursday he was “looking at everything we can” to ensure his government spent public funds “wisely and sufficiently”.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles