Thursday, 22 June 2023

Ministers statements: priority primary care centres

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:34): I am very pleased to rise to talk to the house about a number of investments the government is making.

A member interjected.

Daniel ANDREWS: Oh, last one. Well, it is the winter solstice today, and isn’t it going to be a long cold winter for some. It is the shortest day today. The sun will be coming out, but it is going to be a very long cold winter for some. Now, he is not altogether upset about Warrandyte, because it means they cannot neck him until afterwards, so there is another couple of months secured in his own little political solstice he is running over there out of Hawthorn. Aren’t you happy to be back?

The SPEAKER: Premier, through the Chair!

Daniel ANDREWS: We are happy you are back. Speaker, we hope he is there for a long time, a very long time – winter, spring, next winter, the longest winter. We hope he is there for a long, long time. But the reason I wanted to get up today is I want to talk about a very – oh, the member for Brighton is not taking any points of order today. I wonder why.

David Southwick: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I know this might be the Premier’s last farewell speech, but I ask you to bring him back to the question.

The SPEAKER: I am not sure how the member for Caulfield knows what the Premier’s ministers statement is about, therefore I am not sure how you can call relevance.

Daniel ANDREWS: Speaker, I do feel obliged to point out to my honourable friend there, the member for Caulfield, that the last person who did one of those ‘I’ll see you off’s was the member for Warrandyte. I am still here, and he is at home or wherever he might be. So good luck to him, and thank you for your predictions – they are not worth much.

What I want to do is update the house on the fact that we have opened not one, not 12, not 20 but 26 priority primary care clinics. Now, there is a big difference, you see, between primary votes and primary care. They are two different things. Not so much 26 primary votes but –

A member interjected.

Daniel ANDREWS: I know where you are, mate. You are precisely nowhere.

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, through the Chair!

Daniel ANDREWS: And I love it. I love it, and I will miss you through the winter. I will miss you like you don’t know.

The SPEAKER: Through the Chair, Premier!

Daniel ANDREWS: I will pine and ache for you all winter.

The SPEAKER: The time for questions has ended.