The article is written by Rafael Epstein.

It is from 774 ABC Melbourne.

The topic is the budget.

Treasurer Jaclyn Symes wishes Victoria's debt were lower.

People often wake up at night worried about their mortgage.

Some people live paycheck to paycheck.

The treasurer also has sleepless nights about the state's debt.

Jaclyn Symes said she has a lot of sleepless nights.

Victoria is spending less than it earns for the first time since COVID.

However, the budget is still in the red when including big projects.

The government has found money for some measures and a justice system overhaul.

The total debt is increasing rapidly.

The debt cost was $4 billion when Labor was last elected.

It has already doubled and will triple by the end of the decade.

This is enough to keep a treasurer up at night.

One dollar in every 10 spent by the government will go towards paying off debt.

The Coalition has tried to use debt as a weapon against Labor.

It hasn't worked so far.

The Coalition hopes that debt will change votes this time.

The government is worried that it could.

The operating surplus is aimed at the ratings agencies.

A senior government figure hopes the surplus will help with the ratings agencies.

There are voters who are furious with the government.

Labor's poll numbers are poor.

The question is whether the handouts are worth it.

Some people think the handouts are necessary.

The reason is that many people are struggling.

The state budget was released on the same day as an interest rate increase.

Homeowners are paying $272 extra per month on a $600,000 mortgage.

The treasurer's budget will give back $176 to each household on their car rego.

The state government may have given voters what the Reserve Bank took away.

This is what keeps voters awake at night.

A listener called in to say his daughter was in tears about the interest rates.

Handouts like the rego rebate worry the Reserve Bank governor.

She said such handouts make it harder to dampen demand.

The handouts could lead to inflation and another rate hike.

Voters are angry at politicians and institutions like the Reserve Bank.

The Reserve Bank governor said the initiatives could feed inflation.

The governor also sounds like someone who is not sleeping well.

The bank thinks it has no choice but to raise rates.

The governor said people are poorer and there is no way out.

To some, it feels like needless punishment.

A mortgage broker said people are struggling week to week.

Victorians are being offered free public transport to help with cost-of-living pressures.

A listener asked if the Reserve Bank understands the struggles.

The answer was no.

The question is whether the Liberals can turn the sleepless nights into an electoral victory.

The Liberals have only won one state election in the past 30 years.

The opposition leader has her fair share of sleepless nights.

She needs to convince voters she has a plan.

The opposition leader has made some announcements.

However, none of them can significantly rein in spending or pay down debt.

The opposition leader said voters are looking for politicians to stop spinning.

The Liberals have held contradictory positions on the state's biggest project.

The Coalition opposes the Suburban Rail Loop, but it's not clear if it can be stopped.

The opposition leader plans to pause the project, but it may end up costing more.

She said they will do the responsible thing by the taxpayer.

To win, the opposition leader needs a record shift in voter sentiment.

Voters will choose the party that understands their pain.

The final decision will be made on the last Saturday in November.

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