Thursday, 20 September 2018

 Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (11:01): My question is to the Premier. Premier, over the last four years your government has faced investigation by the Ombudsman for theft, the Parliament for rorting, Victoria Police for fraud, WorkSafe for bullying, IBAC for printing deception and the Victorian Electoral Commission for electoral deceit. You have got six ministers under investigation by the fraud and extortion squad. No wonder there is a crime wave in Victoria when some of the biggest law-breakers in the state are the crooked rorters of the Victorian Labor Party.

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to resume his seat. I am not going to allow that level of shouting across the chamber. I remind members that at 12 o’clock today I am required to interrupt business for valedictory speeches. I am sure many members would like to be in the chamber to hear some of their colleagues’ speeches. Please do not put me in a position where you are asked to leave the chamber for an hour and you are not there to see people make those speeches.

Mr GUY: No wonder there is a crime wave in Victoria when some of the biggest law-breakers in the state are the Victorian Labor Party. Premier, can you tell Victorians exactly how many investigative bodies you and your government are being investigated by at this moment?

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Roads and Road Safety and the member for Euroa! I warn members they will be removed from the chamber without warning.

 Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:03): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I am pretty sure the Ombudsman is having a look at the Leader of the Opposition at the moment, a very close look at you and your convicted criminal mate, Damien Mantach — a very close look. The Leader of the Opposition made reference to, as he put it, a crime wave. I might just remind him that statistics released by the independent Crime Statistics Agency Victoria today show the criminal incident rate down by 7.8 per cent, the offence rate down by 7 per cent, the alleged offender incident rate down by 1.3 per cent, the unique alleged offender rate —

Honourable members interjecting.

Mr ANDREWS: The victim report rate down by 9.5 per cent, the unique victim rate down by 9.2 per cent, the family incident rate down by 2.7 per cent —

Honourable members interjecting.

Mr ANDREWS: The facts are no good. We don’t want any of those.

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat. The member for Ripon can leave the chamber for the period of 45 minutes.

Honourable member for Ripon withdrew from chamber.

Mr Guy: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the Ombudsman, the Parliament, the police, WorkSafe, IBAC, the electoral commission — the question was about the Premier and his government. How many investigative bodies are looking into this sordid government at this point in time?

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier is being responsive to the question.

Mr ANDREWS: I do thank the Leader of the Opposition for shouting at us all. That is always good. On this, the last day, still shouting and screaming, as per usual. I am asked about a crime wave, and I am quoting statistics released by the independent Crime Statistics Agency this very day. I could not be more relevant to the question asked. The reason that those numbers are occurring — that that trend is being delivered — is that this government does not cut police numbers or resources. We instead invest in them.

Mr Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, the question was very clear about how many government agencies were investigating the Andrews government. If the Premier wants to quote statistics, I believe the statistics for ministers being investigated by the police is through the roof.

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of The Nationals knows that is not a point of order.

 Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (11:05): Premier, speaking of crimes, your government is the first in Australian history to have so many members and ministers under active police investigation. Premier, can you guarantee to Victorians that between now and the election none of your ministers will be arrested?

 Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:06): I am invited to appoint the Leader of the Opposition now as the official keeper of Australian history, apparently. Not likely. He cannot get his own story straight, let alone be the writer of Australian history. I do not think so, Leader of the Opposition.

Mr R Smith interjected.

Mr ANDREWS: And to be told by the member for Warrandyte that I don’t know what I am talking about. Imagine the wound I have sustained! How might we go on? You haven’t got to 10 past the hour yet, so we will wait and see. The Leader of the Opposition is ridiculous, and so are his questions.