Thursday, 20 September 2018

 Mr BLACKWOOD (Narracan) (10:03): On 24 November Victorians will have a choice between a Greens-Labor coalition and the Liberal-Nationals coalition. There are massive risks for all Victorians if the outcome is a Greens-Labor coalition. Over the last four years the Andrews government may not have been in formal coalition with the Greens, but many of the decisions they have made have been in response to the ultra-left ideology of the Greens and the risk they pose to preference deals Labor need and the seats they hold.

Putting it simply, the Premier has tried to out-green the Greens in his desperate bid to stay in power. Premier Andrews has sold out the very people who elected him — hardworking Victorians and their families. And guess where most of them reside and work? That is right: country Victoria, in the main the Latrobe Valley. Hazelwood closed as the ageing plant was priced out of the market by massive increases in coal royalties — 4000 direct and indirect jobs trashed. And why? To please inner-city Melbourne voters — voters who will never feel the pain of the decisions they have imposed on country communities.

But wait, there is more to come if a Greens-Labor coalition is elected to govern in November. The Yallourn power station will close within five years — another 4000 direct and indirect jobs trashed — bringing to 50 per cent the reduction in baseload power at the hands of Premier Andrews. Now plans to shut down the Victorian native forest timber industry will shed another 20 000 jobs in country Victoria. It is a disgrace that this Premier, with such close links to the union movement, is prepared to sacrifice the financial and social wellbeing of country communities for his own political gain.