Procedural twist for budget speech
20 May 2025
The presentation of the Victorian state budget was a bit different this year.
Even though Treasurer Jaclyn Symes is a Member of the Legislative Council, the Legislative Assembly allowed the Treasurer to make her budget speech in the Assembly chamber.
Minister for Finance Danny Pearson introduced the Appropriation (2025-2026) Bill 2025 and moved the second reading, as all legislation spending public money has to be initiated in the Assembly by an Assembly Minister.
After the second reading was moved, the Speaker instructed the Serjeant-at-Arms to escort the Treasurer into the chamber. The Treasurer then delivered the speech, and at the end of the speech the Serjeant-at-Arms escorted her out of the chamber.
The last time this occurred was in 2010, when Legislative Council Member John Lenders was the Treasurer. He was invited to the Assembly to give the budget speech using the same procedure.