Vic spent $86k on lawyers over rort probe

Victorian taxpayers have shelled out at least $86,000 in legal costs for the Andrews government's failed bid to stop a probe into Labor's alleged misuse of funds in the 2014 election.

The figure was revealed by Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles during Premier Daniel Andrews' appearance before a state budget estimates hearing on Friday.

The Labor government spent more than $33,000 in the 2015-16 financial year and $53,000 this financial year, up to April 28.

The cost of the state's solicitor general Richard Niall QC's involvement could not be divulged because Mr Niall is constantly involved in all of the government's legal matters, the hearing was told.

The government has repeatedly tried, and failed, to use the courts to block the state's watchdog, Ombudsman Deborah Glass, from investigating allegations Labor misused parliamentary allowances during the election campaign.

The High Court tossed out an appeal bid by the government in April.

However, the cost of defending failed legal action over the youths being held in the Barwon adult prison was not given.

"I can't give you an answer to the legal costs question because there may well be further costs incurred, they will be reported in the normal way though," Mr Andrews told the hearing.

The government put a group of youths into a unit at Barwon adult prison late last year, saying they had no choice because parts of Parkville youth justice facility were trashed in riots.

The Human Rights Law Centre took the government to the Supreme Court, which ordered the teens be removed.

The Labor government found a loophole and reclassified the prison's Grevillea unit as a youth justice facility, prompting another, successful, challenge by the HRLC in the Supreme Court.

The estimates hearing on Friday was at times heated between the government and opposition.

Members were often yelling at each other, including over the politics of the much-bickered-over regional rail revival program.

Last week's state budget announced a $1.45 billion regional rail program, which was entirely dependent on the state getting funds

When the Turnbull government released its budget on Tuesday, there was some money for it, but not the $1.45 billion the state wanted to deliver the entire regional rail program.

Earlier in the hearing, Treasurer Tim Pallas was accused of telling "porkies" over the state's debt levels.

Mr Pallas was quizzed by the opposition over his claims on how much debt his predecessors left him.