Former Opposition Leader Matthew Guy shares a scathing critique on bureaucracy and reflects on the election loss

Former State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy joined Neil Mitchell for the first time since his election loss.

He shared his thoughts on the loss, politics, and Melbourne’s population boom, and had a scathing critique on bureaucracy.

On his future career

Matthew Guy says he will remain in parliament until the next election, but has ruled out returning to the front bench.

“I am a member of parliament and I intend to stay,” he told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

“If something changes I’ll let you know.”

On recovering from his election loss

The former party leader said he is over his election loss.

“You just have to move on.

“I don’t cry about politics. I don’t get depressed about politics.

“That’s life.

“Politics is a brutal game.”

On bureaucracy

Mr Guy harshly critiqued Australian bureaucracy.

“If your listeners want to know about the operation of government, and I hear you talking about this, then they should go and watch ‘Utopia,” he said.

“It’s not a flippant comment, it’s actually not far off reality.

He said there’s a problem at both levels of government.

“The bureaucracy throughout this country, federal and state… the reality is that they are focused on process not outcome.

“Federal bureaucrats, we wonder why we get a bad deal from successive federal governments in Victoria. It’s because they all grew up in Sydney, they all went to Sydney universities, they moved to Canberra, they have coffee on Sunday in Braywood, they go on holidays together in Batemans Bay.

“These are the people who then make policy for the rest of the country!”

“I think in Victoria its institutional. It was fixed up in the 90s … but it has got lazy again.

“I reckon the government has spent more money on maps for rail lines than they actually have producing some of them!”

On Melbourne’s population boom

Mr Guy said rapid population growth in Melbourne shouldn’t be encouraged.

“I don’t want to see Melbourne at seven million people,” he said.

“It’s crazy.

“When you get to seven million it doesn’t stop. It keeps growing faster.”

Press PLAY below for the full interview.