Victoria's premier has drawn campaign battlelines 100 days out from the November state election, saying his government will offer the "biggest agenda" Australia has seen.
Labor's Daniel Andrews did not make specific funding commitments during or after his State-of-the-State address in Melbourne on Wednesday, but told journalists that up until polling day, his party would be full of "big ideas" and "boldness".
"We will commit and lay out the biggest infrastructure, road, rail, hospital and school agenda that this country has ever seen," Mr Andrews said.
The incumbent leader argued against austerity in his speech to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, for building a modern Victoria and pushed the case for renewable energy.
Focusing on the state's energy system and relieving the pressure of energy bills on Victorians, Mr Andrews said his government would seek to "tip things back in favour of the consumer".
Victoria led the nation in power privatisation under Jeff Kennett in the 1990s, but Mr Andrews pointed to household energy bills rising by 20 per cent in the past year, while "AGL pocketed $1 billion" and Energy Australia's tripled profits.
"The scales need resetting, privatisation and deregulation has gone too far," he said.
Victoria's alternative premier Matthew Guy pushed ahead on Wednesday with the Liberal-Nationals' crackdown-on-crime pitch, pledging $24 million for security in shopping strips if his coalition wins power.
The latest in a raft of pledges to improve community safety mean councils would be able to apply for grants of up to $250,000 to improve lighting and CCTV in shopping areas.
Gangs were hitting Melbourne's eastern suburbs, smashing windows and stealing from shops, Mr Guy said.
Australian Associated Press
