Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022

Second reading

Debate resumed on motion of Danny Pearson:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Martin CAMERON (Morwell) (12:16): I rise to speak on the Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022. The bill seeks to make minor and technical amendments to a number of acts and to make sure the meaning of those acts is clear, accurate and reflects the intentions of the Parliament. There are a few points that I would like to highlight in the bill. The bill makes amendments to the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 in order to give effect to an amendment to schedule 2 of the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 that section 8(2) of the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2022 sought to make but was not effective in making due to a typing error caused by section 34(1) of the Firearms and Other Acts Amendment Act 2021 commencing earlier than the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2022. It removed a relevant reference in the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004, which resulted in the amendment to be made by the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2022 being unable to take effect. In addition, the amendments seek to repeal previous amendments made by section 8(2) of the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2022 in readiness for its 2025 automatic repeal date, ensuring that the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 and statute books are clear and transparent for the Victorian public.

The bill amends the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 and further supports Victoria Police in actively monitoring registrable sex offenders and also reducing the risk of reoffending. Not only does it require registrable offenders to report to Victoria Police at the commencement of their registration period, but it also enables periodically over the registration period Victoria Police to record the personal details of a registrable offender. The Sex Offenders Registration Act prescribes four classes of offences for the purpose of the act. Standing up here, I would not have thought in my former role only a few months ago that these words would be rolling off my tongue as I try and articulate the legislation prescribed, but I will continue to go on. I did not need it if I was unblocking toilets or changing tap washers, so bear with me.

The bill seeks to make amendments to section 8(2) of the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2022 to list as a class 2 offence the Commonwealth offence of using a carriage service such as the internet or a mobile phone to prepare or plan to cause harm to, engage in sexual activity with or procure for sexual activity persons under 16, except if the offence does not involve an act in preparing or planning to engage in sexual activity with a person under 16 years of age or an act in preparing or planning to procure a person under 16 years of age to engage in sexual activity. A person sentenced for a class 2 offence is automatically registered as a registrable offender and must comply with the reporting requirements under the sex offenders act. In addition, this offence is already established in section 474.25C of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995. The bill excludes conduct constituting an offence against paragraph 474.25C(a)(i) of the Criminal Code Act 1995, as the conduct is not a sexual act in nature.

I also note the bill corrects minor ambiguities, omissions or errors in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and the Housing Act 1983 and updates a reference in the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act 2003 to ensure the meaning of these acts is clear and accurate. It makes minor amendments to the Competition Policy Reform (Victoria) Act 1995 to reflect the renaming of the Trade Practices Act 1974 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 by the Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act (No. 2) 2010, which was effective from 1 January 2011.

Luba GRIGOROVITCH (Kororoit) (12:22): I am pleased to speak in support of this bill. As my colleague the Honourable Danny Pearson said in his second-reading speech for this bill, the Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022 is a regular mechanism for reviewing Victoria’s statute books and making a range of minor amendments to acts to ensure the orderly management of the state’s statutes. It will correct inadvertent technical errors, make minor updates and implement Parliament’s intention to pass an amendment to an act that was ineffective due to a typographical error. The bill will make amendments to update references in the Competition and Policy Reform (Victoria) Act 1995 to reflect the renaming of the Commonwealth legislation; correct minor errors in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 that would have been addressed in the lapsed Statute Law Revision Bill 2018; correct and clarify minor points in the Domestic Animals Act 1994, the Housing Act 1983, the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2022 and the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act 2003; and implement Parliament’s intention to pass an amendment to the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 – in the justice amendment act a similar amendment was ineffective. A purely technical bill like this one appears rather boring to most readers of Hansard, and I have got to say it is my first time in this place that I am speaking to a piece of statute law amending legislation like this one. But what I am happy to do is talk a little about some of the topics related to the laws that this amendment bill touches on and the work that the Labor government has accomplished in its lifetime so far in these areas.

Firstly, housing is something which we all know has been very topical this week, and it is a pity that our colleagues from the Greens are not here to hear what I have to say. Housing is also very dear to my heart, and I know it is to many of those on my side of the house. The Housing Act 1983 introduced the office of the director of housing and abolished the old housing commission almost 40 years ago. In 2022, amendments to the Housing Act supported the evolution of the director of housing, with the formal establishment of Homes Victoria and its CEO. As a contemporary housing agent, this act provides Homes Victoria with the powers it needs to grow Victoria’s supply of social and affordable housing. The Andrews Labor government is delivering more homes for people who need them most, because Labor knows that a safe and secure home is a foundation to a good life. This is why the Andrews government committed $5.3 billion to the Big Housing Build, which is the biggest single investment in social housing out of all of the states and territories in Australia’s history. The Big Housing Build will deliver more than 12,000 homes, including 2400 affordable homes, for Victorians who need them most. This will boost Victoria’s social housing supply by 10 per cent, providing a stable foundation for thousands of Victorians. The benefits will also flow to the regions, with 25 per cent of funding allocated to regional Victoria. The Big Housing Build will create an average of 10,000 new jobs each year, creating new employment opportunities for local communities, including Aboriginal Victorians, people with disability, social housing tenants and, would anybody believe, renters – something that has been topical, as we know, and potentially might come up in question time today. It will also help people from diverse backgrounds and include them.

The other topic that I thought it might be good to touch on is the Aboriginal Heritage Act. As recently as December last year the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples the Honourable Gabrielle Williams welcomed 18 new graduates who had completed the certificate IV in Aboriginal cultural heritage management, a course that is funded by the Andrews government and is delivered in partnership with Victorian Aboriginal communities at La Trobe University. The yearlong tertiary course provides students with on-country, classroom and skills-based learning by fusing formal, traditional and industry knowledge with hands-on experience in a culturally appropriate and safe manner. The Aboriginal Heritage Act empowers traditional owners as protectors of their cultural heritage and the world’s oldest continuing culture, a fact which should be a matter of pride for all of us. There is no more important measure of social justice and progress in Australia today, for government and for the community alike, than delivering self-determination and reconciliation with justice for Indigenous Australians. This work is very far from easy, but it is work that is important and needs to be done. That is why I strongly encourage all of my constituents in Kororoit and all Victorians to follow the ongoing work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the first formal truth-telling process into injustices experienced by First Peoples here in Victoria. The Yoorrook commission’s work will be vital to delivering a treaty for First Peoples in Victoria based upon respect, justice and real sovereignty, and I look forward with interest to the Andrews government continuing work to deliver such a treaty.

This amending legislation also relates to the Domestic Animals Act. I want to make mention of the Andrews Labor government’s continuous work on modernising the state’s animal care. The individual pet rehoming grants funded by the government were provided to pet rescue groups so that more dogs and cats can find their forever home. The first round of the grant program provided 464 grants that contributed to the rehoming costs of more than 4000 cats and 1400 dogs. Through works like this we recognise the significant role pets have in the lives of Victorians and encourage responsible pet ownership – and I know that there are many members in this house today who dearly love their pets. The government also supported all recommendations from the Taskforce on Rehoming Pets report. Through the investment in last year’s budget, works have been underway to improve collaboration and information sharing between shelters, council pounds and rehoming groups.

In conclusion, it is appropriate for a bill of this nature to be passed periodically as part of the Victorian Parliament’s regular housekeeping arrangements. Amending legislation like this helps to ensure that Victorian statutes are updated and clear and improves the ease of administrating Victorian laws. I commend the Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022, and I look forward to it coming back to the house again.

Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (12:29): This is gripping. I rise to today to speak on the Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022. From the outset I would like to indicate that it could be a struggle to fill the allotted time, despite the engaging nature of this bill.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Paul Edbrooke): Take a nice deep breath, member. We are all here for it.

Annabelle CLEELAND: Yes, and my fitness levels are there too. Given this bill is of a technical nature, we will not be opposing this bill, as it seeks to ensure legislation works in the manner in which it was intended. Our lead speaker on this bill, the Shadow Treasurer and member for Sandringham, did have a difficult task in attempting to speak on this piece of proposed legislation for 30 minutes – which is incredible. It is an achievement which is remarkable, and I am sure I can be inspired by that.

The Shadow Treasurer did outline the process of this bill coming to our house here in our last sitting week before the recess and outlined some issues with its introduction and the consultation process. I should have a gym membership soon. He also indicated in his second-reading speech that the bill was heading to the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee to make sure there were no funny buggers or funny business in this piece of legislation. With the bill originally being introduced in the Council before Christmas before its referral to SARC for reporting, it seems as if this is not the case, as indicated by the report, which has thankfully been tabled in this house.

The general purposes of this bill are of a minor nature, including the revision of the – oh my gosh, I should have read through.

Will Fowles: On a point of order, Acting Speaker, I would like to just give the member for Euroa an opportunity to draw breath and perhaps talk about the importance of points of order more generally. I think it is important always in this place that we conform here to the norms of the house and arrive fit and ready to debate important matters like this Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Paul Edbrooke): Thank you, member for Ringwood. There is no point of order, and the member for Euroa can judge the syncopation of her own speech.

Annabelle CLEELAND: Teamwork makes the dream work. Now, this bill is incredibly technical, and there are some small amendments that ensure that other legislation works as was originally intended, including through a substantive amendment to the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004. The chief parliamentary counsel certified that the original amendment made to the sex offenders act was ineffective, with the Firearms and Other Acts Amendment Act 2021 frustrating the operation of the original amendment. A person sentenced for a class 2 offence will be automatically registered as a registrable offender and must comply with the reporting requirements under the sex offender register act. Bear with me. This bill includes the offence relating to carriage services as a schedule 2 offence, which is based on the Commonwealth legislation.

The bill does make a minor amendment to the Housing Act 1983. One of the major issues facing our region and the state more broadly is a lack of housing supply and extreme waitlists for both public and social housing. This is where I hit my strides. This is something the Leader of the Nationals expanded on with his contribution to the bill in our last sitting week. He outlined that while the Big Housing Build has been well marketed, $2.8 billion has only got us 74 new dwellings in our state. New figures released by the Victorian Housing Register confirm 67,120 Victorians were on the public housing waitlist as of December 2022, an increase of 3376 people over the previous 12 months.

Right across the region in the Euroa electorate we have waitlists for housing completely out of control. There are hundreds of people urgently waiting for housing in towns right across our region, including Seymour, Benalla and the Broadford district. I am regularly contacted by people who are in desperate need of housing, and they are continually being told there is simply no supply to house them. Recently I had the member for Kew – welcome – Jess Wilson visit my electorate to meet with key stakeholders across the housing industry, including real estate agents, builders, developers and contractors, to discuss the hurdles facing increasing the housing supply. We need to revamp the planning system and ensure obstructive councils speed up approval processes and allow people to buy homes close to where they have grown up. This bill is not one that addresses the housing crisis facing regional communities, particularly in the wake of widespread flooding in October of last year, but I hope this is something the government is conducting serious work on and engaging with all relevant stakeholders on to make sure solutions are not just focused on pressing issues in our suburbs but are developed with our regions in mind.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the median house price across regional Victoria has increased by over 45 per cent. The median value of a Kilmore home has increased from $470,000 to $600,000 – a rise of 28 per cent – while the median price of homes in Broadford has increased by $145,000 over the same period. Prospective regional home owners are being hit with a double whammy of increased prices and exponentially rising interest rates. I want locals to be able to grow up, raise their family and own a home in their own community without having to save for decades. While it is always a great honour to stand in this house and debate legislation, I remain hopeful that as the term of this government continues we are able to debate more substantive matters rather than the recycled bills we are dealing with at the moment.

Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (12:35): If I had known where the member for Euroa was going, perhaps I would not have been quite so generous in my offer to allow her to restore the O₂ levels there. I thank her for her contribution, though, and I share her great apprehension about the ability to fill 10 minutes on this scintillating piece of legislation, but having spent 13 or 14 solid minutes getting my head into it, I am sure the next 9½ minutes are going to be a treat for not just people in this chamber but people right across the globe, who I know are all Zooming in, really, really engaged with the nitty-gritty, with the detail work. This is the granular work. This is the hard work. This is where the rubber hits the road, statute law amendment bills. I mean, these are the absolute humdingers, the ones that get all our constituents up and about, all excited, all revved about the minor updates and inadvertent technical errors. They are the things that really excite the masses, I know. I am very pleased to be speaking on this bill. It is a bill that amends a range of acts, and there are of course a number of portfolios that are touched by those acts, I guess, or a number of portfolios under which those acts fall. It gives us I guess an opportunity to talk a bit about that.

The member for Euroa was kind enough to raise public housing and public housing waiting lists, and I think that is a very good entree for me to say that I spoke in my inaugural speech about the importance of public housing. I said then that I simply do not accept that a city and a state and a nation as wealthy as ours should have such high levels of homelessness and housing stress, and I am delighted to have been part of a government that has actually responded to that challenge. We did take a policy to the 2018 election for new housing. It was not particularly ambitious. It was for a thousand new homes. But boy, did we respond to the opportunity that COVID presented in going hard – the largest single investment into social housing of any state or territory, any government, in the history of the nation: $5.3 billion for 12,000 homes for Victorians, including 2500 affordable homes. Twelve thousand was the stated ambition of that $5.3 billion, but I understand that the net result will actually be higher, that we have been able to do well in buying developments under a degree of economic stress throughout the pandemic, both assisting those developers and ultimately allowing the government to deliver more social and affordable housing stock. Overall it is a 10 per cent boost to Victoria’s social housing supply. It creates 10,000 new jobs each year. It supports our most vulnerable Victorians.

It is extraordinary, given all of that, that the debate this week by the Greens, if and when they turn up to the chamber, has been so focused on rent caps when it is the Greens political party in the federal Senate who stand against the federal Labor government’s – the Albanese Labor government’s – $10 billion package for social housing in this country.

Mathew Hilakari interjected.

Will FOWLES: The member for Point Cook is right. It is absolutely shameful that you would come in here and criticise the government for failing to introduce rent caps but at the same time – speaking out of two sides of their mouths, they are – stand opposed to a $10 billion increase in federally funded housing stock. It is sort of breathtaking, but in a sense it is not that breathtaking, is it? Because we know the track record of Greens councillors right across the state, that in local government areas right across the state Greens councillors do their level best to stand in the way of good and well-considered social housing projects. They are all about talking a big game – always, always talking a big game – but the absolutely failed councils of Yarra and Merri-bek have simply not got any runs on the board when it comes to delivering social housing projects, because they are too pious and too precious by half.

These projects are important. They are important not just because they deliver people the security and the safety and the certainty of having a place to call home. They are important because you can then deliver all the wraparound services that go with that, because trying to deliver employment services or education services or other forms of social support to people sleeping under a bridge is nigh on impossible. And the Greens – despite their purported stance in wanting to support people in those sorts of circumstances – when push actually comes to shove, deliver absolutely nothing. They are opposed to federal Labor’s public housing money in the Senate, opposed to social housing projects in the City of Yarra, opposed to social housing projects in the City of Merri-bek and, I will bet, opposed to social housing projects in other parts of the universe. These social housing projects are so important. Right now in Mitcham at the old Mitcham RSL site we have got a development application afoot for 62 new high-quality dwellings, all funded as part of the Big Housing Build. It is in a terrific location: Mitcham train station, bus services, the shopping strip, the supermarket and Halliday Park playground are all within a 10-minute walk. It is an absolutely brilliant location for this sort of project. There is also the Box Hill to Ringwood bike path, Koonung Creek bike path, Nunawading shops, Eastland and Nunawading Aqualink all within a 15-minute bike ride.

Now, some of the objections I have heard locally have been absolutely well intentioned but with a bit of a misunderstanding about what the make-up of these developments typically looks like. There is a set of assumptions about public housing tenants that is largely ill founded or almost entirely ill founded, and there is a set of assumptions about the composition of these developments that is just plain wrong. These developments are built with an eye to the waiting list. On the public housing waiting list right now, relative to community perceptions, are not a whole bunch of families with 17 people in them. There are actually a whole lot of single, middle-aged women on that list. Now, there is a whole gender equality piece here which this government has been happy to take on that goes to the heart of why it is that so many middle-aged women find themselves on these lists – the economic disempowerment, the lack of superannuation paid, the work at home – so many issues, and we are getting to that. We are. But I am helping my community to understand that we are building these projects to reflect the composition of the list. The list does not look the way people perhaps expect it might, and these developments need to have, for example, a lot of one-bedroom stock in them because there are lots of single people living without kids on those lists.

One of the other misnomers has been about the need for car parking. Because of the way the middle and outer ring suburbs of Melbourne have grown since the dawn of the automotive age in the 1950s, there has been an active and operating planning assumption particularly in the middle and outer ring suburbs that people would have a car or perhaps two cars for every household. That is an assumption that frankly held right up until about the turn of the century, but what we see now is a whole lot of people making very sensible decisions to use hire cars or taxis when they need them but actually do most of their travel on public transport or by walking or riding a bike. So the need for car spaces in these developments is actually much, much lower than the perception that many in my community – and many in communities right across Victoria I am sure – have.

This is not just a piece of political convenience. It is not a matter of us saying that, well, there is a need for less parking and that is going to make it cheaper to deliver the project. It is actually more that we simply are not going to build a whole bunch of car parks that do not get used. The lived experience tells us this. Studies have been done on existing developments that were built with car-parking capacity that has remained not just underutilised but unutilised – car-parking capacity that simply has not been required. If we can repurpose the money that would otherwise be spent on building car parks into building homes, well surely that is a better public policy outcome than building a whole lot of what are effectively overengineered or overcapitalised developments with a bunch of car-parking capacity that simply does not get used. I am very, very pleased that by and large my constituents have been receptive to the data, to the discussion, to the arguments and to the education around the nature of these projects, the composition of them and what it is that we are trying to deliver with the Big Housing Build. It is such an important piece of work.

I want to take the opportunity to commend my great friend the former member for Richmond and former housing minister Dick Wynne. We miss him in this place. He was such a tireless champion for social housing tenants over the course of a storied political career, and I want to take the opportunity to thank him for everything he did over his journey as Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne and as a member and a minister in this proud Andrews Labor government.

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (12:45): I rise today to make some comments on the Statute Law Amendment Bill 2022. Largely this bill is a tidy-up bill dealing with a number of small amendments when it comes to legislation. I am going to spend my time talking about the Housing Act 1983 and the tidy-ups there. I would say right at the outset that this is a missed opportunity, because whilst housing is mentioned in this statute bill, it does not go to the very core of what we have got to do to make housing more affordable and housing more attainable. What we are seeing here in Victoria is stress when it comes to housing at all levels, whether it be social housing or whether it be those that want to one day realise the great Australian dream of owning a house, and at the rental end, right across the board the system is broken. We are in a housing crisis here in Victoria, and the government is doing very little to fix it. In fact what one would argue is the government has actually caused the problem.

Members interjecting.

David SOUTHWICK: I hear the government interjecting about all the wonderful things that they have done when it comes to, particularly, social housing. The Andrews government should be ashamed of themselves, quite frankly, because in four years they have contributed a net 75 homes into social housing – 75. It is an absolute disgrace. I was with the member for Polwarth only last week in Surrey Hills, and we went along to an auction in which three houses – three social houses – were being sold.

Members interjecting.

David SOUTHWICK: It is a disgrace, and it is a shame that the government should be interjecting at this point. They should be listening, because they have let down those people that are really struggling, that are on the poverty line and that do not have a roof over their heads. When I went with the member for Polwarth to Surrey Hills to look at this we were accompanied by a gentleman that was sleeping in his car. He went and had a look at these units to have a look at what was being sold. The reason why they were being sold was that the government said, ‘You know what, they can’t be fixed. They can’t be fixed, so we’re not going to spend any money on them. So we’re just going to get rid of them.’ Cannot be fixed? This guy that came and looked, who was sleeping in his car, said, ‘I would be in it tomorrow, with nothing, with not a thing – maybe a bit of a clean, and that’s it.’ If you wanted to, you could paint the walls and add some carpet. Three-bedroom apartments – three of them – all being flogged by the government for $1.9 million – where does that go? Straight into government coffers to pay for their debt, to pay for their disgraceful debt – that is what this government is doing.

Ben Carroll: On a point of order, Acting Speaker, on relevance, we are discussing the Statute Law Amendment Bill, and if the Shadow Minister for Major Projects wants to look through the explanatory memorandum, it is very clear that we are dealing with domestic animals, consumers, Aboriginal heritage and other matters – sex offender registration. We are not dealing with the matters that he is going to in his debate, and I ask him to come back to the bill.

Sam Groth: On the point of order, Acting Speaker, this bill has been debated across a number of sitting weeks now here in this place and it has been a wideranging debate, and I think if you went back over Hansard you would actually be able to see that what the member for Caulfield is speaking about has been touched on by all sides of the house. Social housing has been brought up right across this debate, and I would ask you to rule the point of order out of order.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Paul Edbrooke): This genuinely is a wideranging bill, but I will bring the member back to the actual bill and the substance of the bill.

David SOUTHWICK: Right, so I will return specifically to the Housing Act 1983, which talks about particularly issues and changes in terms of Homes Victoria and about creating stock in the market, which the government is clearly not providing. The government has spoken. I say to you, Acting Speaker, there have been speakers before me that have spoken about the big build and they have spoken about housing and they have spoken about what so-called housing stock this government is creating. A 75 net increase of social homes over four years is not creating that stock. It is letting down vulnerable Victorians. The government are not doing their job.

Members interjecting.

David SOUTHWICK: And the interjections that the government are doing show that they are clearly worried about the truth – about the government’s failure.

Juliana Addison: On a point of order, Acting Speaker, my concern is that the member for Caulfield is being untruthful in this house, because in my electorate of Wendouree 130 new dwellings are being built in Delacombe; we have got 16 new dwellings almost finished in La Trobe Street, Redan; and we have got 25 new properties also being delivered by Centacare. What he is saying is not true, and I wish for him to be guided – he should not mislead the house.

David SOUTHWICK: On the point of order, Acting Speaker, the member’s point of order is not an opportunity to attack, and on relevance, the actual government’s own data talks about 74, 75 – I have actually given you an extra one – net homes that have been created. So although there may be additional homes created, with the ones in Surrey Hills, the three that have been closed down, that gives you a net 74, 75 homes in four years.

Members interjecting.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Paul Edbrooke): I will rule on the point of order. Thank you, member. Your point has been made. I would like to bring the member for Caulfield back to the bill. I would just advise him that he should make certain of his facts, but no caution there, member for Caulfield. I also advise other members in this house that while lively debate is healthy, we should all be certain of our facts so there are no accusations of untruths in the house.

David SOUTHWICK: On the point of order, Acting Speaker, I take issue with the Acting Speaker raising issues and facts. It is the government’s own data that I am quoting. So I would ask the Acting Speaker to be fair and reasonable when I am quoting the government’s own facts back to them.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Paul Edbrooke): Just to clarify, there was no counselling on the facts you have given. It was just an awareness of the facts you might give. You have the call.

David SOUTHWICK: Thank you very much, Acting Speaker. It is obvious that the government today are very, very touchy about their failure when it comes to delivering housing to vulnerable Victorians. The government has clearly failed when it comes to delivering this housing. Unfortunately we are seeing it in a number of different instances. I have just spoken about social housing. The ability to own the great Australian dream has been put under pressure, along with the government’s ability to ensure that the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority, the government’s own insurance body, has the ability to cover those people that invest in building a new home. We have seen the issues with Porter Davis. We have had the issue raised, certainly during question time, where other people have lost their deposits. This is certainly creating a whole lot of anxiety amongst those people that want to own homes. The one thing Victorians want is certainty and confidence, and that is something that this government is not providing. They are not providing Victorians with the confidence to invest. They are not providing Victorians with the ability to understand that should there be a problem they will be supported.

The other element of housing which is very, very important is the fact that we are seeing the costs absolutely skyrocket. Infrastructure Australia’s last two market capability reports clearly make mention that the two issues are labour shortages and materials. They are the two key issues in terms of where the current market is at. We are seeing, very much, that a lot of those materials have been diverted through the government’s own projects. We have seen a $30 billion blowout of the government’s major infrastructure projects. It is little wonder why there is a shortage of materials when they are being diverted at twice the price for the government’s own infrastructure projects, let alone building housing stock that is more affordable and more attainable.

The same thing applies with labour hire. What we are seeing is that a lot of labour hire is being diverted out of the private sector market to build homes in the government’s own big build, and then all we are seeing is, number one, big blowouts and, number two, big costs when it comes to people being able to afford and purchase a new home. It is becoming less attainable under this government because of issues with costs spiralling, just as we heard from Infrastructure Australia. It is something that we need to get more of a focus on. Others who have spoken in this house before me have talked about what we can do to fix things. Planning needs to be one of those, to be able to ensure that there is less red tape, there is more certainty and there is more ability to invest. More people are investing out of this state when it comes to developing, building and providing more stock and supply, and that is what we need to do to ensure we get more affordable and attainable housing.

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty, Minister for Employment, Minister for Public Transport) (12:55): I move:

That the debate now be adjourned.

Motion agreed to and debate adjourned.

Ordered that debate be adjourned until later this day.