A recent report from The Age has brought renewed attention to the internal decision-making processes of the Victorian government, specifically involving Minister Ben Carroll and former Premier Daniel Andrews. At the center of the controversy is a handwritten note, allegedly authored by Andrews, which pertains to the introduction of a tax measure that has since become a point of contention.

The report suggests that the note served as an instruction or a significant influence on policy direction, placing Minister Carroll in a difficult position regarding the tax's origins and his own role in its rollout. The narrative frames this as a 'hard lesson' for Carroll, implying that the discovery of the note has complicated his political standing and transparency regarding government fiscal policy. While the specific contents of the note have not been fully disclosed in the public domain, the implication is that the tax was developed with limited oversight or public consultation, characterized by the outlet as a 'secret tax.'

There is currently no response from the Premier’s office or Minister Carroll’s team regarding the specific authenticity or the full context of the note mentioned in the report. The situation highlights ongoing concerns regarding how policy decisions are communicated within the Victorian cabinet and the extent to which informal communication channels, such as handwritten notes, influence official government legislation. As the story develops, the focus remains on whether this revelation will lead to further inquiries into the government's tax-setting procedures.