Tuesday, 1 August 2023
Business of the house
Program
Program
That, under standing order 94(2), the orders of the day, government business, relating to the following bills be considered and completed by 5 pm on Thursday 3 August 2023:
Energy Legislation Amendment (Energy Safety) Bill 2023
Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill 2023.
It is great to be back after a bit of a winter break, though I do want to make the point that whilst we talk about it as a winter break, certainly those of us on this side of the house have been hard at work in our local communities and relishing every opportunity that presents itself to let our communities know about how the Andrews Labor government continues to deliver for the people of Victoria whatever corner of the state that they live in. And there were so many events and opportunities to showcase so much of this work during that winter period. How exciting was it to see the first test runs of trains through the Melbourne Metro Tunnel? The Big Build is paying dividends, and I know that right across our communities, including in regional Victoria, people are very excited about what Melbourne Metro is going to deliver for our public transport.
I know that the member for Wendouree and member for Cranbourne were very excited. There is so much on in our community at any given time, and they took the opportunity to go and see the Doggies at Mars Stadium, Ballarat.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, this debate is on the government business program. It is not a diary inventory of the members on the other side of the chamber and what they did in the last five weeks, and I would ask you to bring the Leader of the House back to the question before the house.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: It would be appreciated if we could stick to the government business program.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: Certainly. Thank you, and I appreciate your guidance. It was a little preamble before I get back into the business of the government business program. My point is we are fighting fit, back here ready to make contributions on the bills that are before the house this week and also to make contributions in so many other ways as enabled by the various procedures within the house. I know those on the other side like to jump up and say that they do not have opportunities to debate things and so on. We look forward to each and every one of them making contributions on the bills that are before the house at this time.
The hardworking Minister for Energy and Resources and Minister for Climate Action is at it again. We know how important it is that we have a properly regulated electricity system and how important that is to meeting the needs of our government’s commitment, which, quite simply, is transformative when it comes to energy generation, distribution, delivery and so on. We have comfortably surpassed our 2020 renewable energy target of 20 per cent, we have increased our 2030 renewable energy target from 50 per cent to 65 per cent, and as a government we will continue to be ambitious as we strive towards 95 per cent renewable generation in this state by 2035 – I nearly gave the Minister for Climate Action a heart attack by saying 2025. We are well on track. That is why members on this side of the house are very keen to get up and debate the energy legislation amendment bill, which will ensure that newer technologies like batteries, wind farms and solar farms are held to the same standards as existing generation and network technologies – a bill I am sure that all members in the house could get behind.
We know how important it is, with our government’s Big Build program, to ensure that we have the tons and tons of extractive resources that we need for our tunnels, train tracks and roads. Of course with demand for new housing, as we have heard – which will be a feature, I am sure, of many of the conversations and debates that we have this week – at a high, it will continue to place pressure on our quarry and cement industries for years to come. The bill that will be debated, the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill, goes to this very issue. Once again, I am proud to be back, excited to be back and looking forward to this last half of 2023 as our government continues to deliver on our very full agenda.
James NEWBURY (Brighton) (16:03): The coalition will be opposing the government business program. The government, each week prior to a sitting, publicly announce what they intend to debate in the chamber. They make that available to the broader community and stakeholders and other members of this place and then come into the chamber and move a motion relating to the government business program, as they have just done. Last week the government gave notice of the government business program and referred to the two bills and again referred to – this is a direct quote – ‘the government may also debate some of the motions on the notice paper’.
I notice the Leader of the House did refer to both the two bills up for debate but also other matters and members having an opportunity to debate other matters throughout the week through those other motions. For context, the government has not given any indication around what those motions will be or when members will be provided an opportunity to speak on those matters. I would expect and hope that members will have an opportunity to speak on the budget motion, which is a continuation of the budget papers take-note motion, because I know so many members of our side of the chamber want to speak about their communities being let down in relation to the budget. But on the notice paper as it stands there are six government motions, 11 coalition notices of motion –
Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the leader of opposition business should know that, strictly speaking, the government business program only comprises –
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The point of order is –
Mary-Anne Thomas: It is on relevance.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Relevance?
Mary-Anne Thomas: I am sorry, yes. It is on relevance because, strictly speaking, the government business program only comprises the bills that are to be debated.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Minister. There is no point of order.
James NEWBURY: Thank you, Deputy Speaker, for confirming that there is no point of order. The notice paper as it stands has six government motions, 11 coalition motions and a number of Greens motions. Today we have just seen the coalition introduce 15, the Greens one and the government one. What we have seen over this year are repeated instances of the government moving motions in this place without notice. Those motions for debate are effectively an opportunity to attack the coalition. The government has given notice to refer to those motions throughout the week. What they are we do not know, so the community is none the wiser about what will be debated. I think it would be fair to say that is why it is clear to the broader community that the government has lost its way in terms of managing the house, because the government business program is an opportunity to let the community know what is happening in this place and the government has not done that. So we are none the wiser on any of the motions that will be debated and how much of the Parliament’s time will be wasted on debating the government’s attempts to sledge the opposition. We are none the wiser as to how much time will be spent on that.
As I referred to, in terms of the motions on the notice paper, we know that disproportionately almost 30, as of tomorrow, will be coalition motions, and there is no opportunity for members of the opposition or non-government members to debate any of those matters – both the coalition and the Greens have raised this issue repeatedly – whereas the government regularly brings motions to this place with no notice and lines up to sledge the coalition rather than outlining an agenda. It is very disappointing to see parliamentary time used in that way. The Parliament’s time should be used to debate important issues for the community. There are so many important issues: issues around the $2 billion wasted as a result of the government cutting the Commonwealth Games – $2 billion of taxpayer funds wasted. I mean, the government are going to raise almost $2 billion in new taxes this year, as announced in the budget, and those new taxes are straightaway wasted in the government’s waste on the Commonwealth Games. So we will be opposing the government business program because of their lack of capacity to run this place.
Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (16:08): It is the first sitting week after the winter break, and I hope everyone is feeling rejuvenated. I am very pleased to be speaking in support of the government business program. The program of course includes two very significant bills – bills that once again demonstrate to the people of Victoria that Labor is just getting on with the job. In particular we have before us the Energy Legislation Amendment (Energy Safety) Bill 2023, which speaks to the Labor government’s commitment to a clean energy future, something which my community of Northcote is immensely passionate about and something which I have been proud to be a champion of since I was elected. Victorians do rightly expect that their government is making changes to the law to embed principles of energy efficiency, energy security and energy safety. That is why since coming to government we have seen a great deal of legislation come into Parliament which gives effect to our ambitions when it comes to addressing climate change.
This bill is yet another, and it is actually emblematic of two very core values and imperatives within our Labor government: worker safety and our transition to renewable energy. Victoria, as we know, is undertaking a rapid transition to renewable energy, with an outstanding target to run the state on 95 per cent renewables by 2035. We are decarbonising at speed, and this also means our state has cut emissions more than any other in the nation. The legislation on the program today is another mechanism in that broader work we are doing as world leaders in renewable energy. It is a critical component, because it goes to the safety of the new and emerging technologies that we are seeing as part of our transition and ensuring of course that technologies such as batteries, wind farms and solar farms are held to the same safety standards as the rest of the energy network.
Members of this house have had quite a lot of opportunity to contribute to debates about our energy sector through the sheer volume of reform that we are undertaking in Victoria as we drive forward our clean energy future, and I must say that these debates are always quite colourful because we know that there continue to be pretty stark ideological differences between the way that our Labor government understands and is addressing climate change and that of the conservatives on the other side and indeed some of the empty showboating of the Greens.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, on relevance, as much as the member wants to entertain an ideological discussion, I would remind the member that this is a debate around the government business program, and I would ask you to bring the member back to that question.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The point of order was on relevance. I take it. The member can come back to the government business program.
Kat THEOPHANOUS: Sure. I was just reflecting on the fact that, as energy legislation comes up, it is an opportunity for us to elucidate those differences in our ideologies, and I think there is nothing wrong with that. That is what this parliamentary house is for. It provides us with an opportunity to analyse and to reflect on our fundamental position as a Labor government as opposed to the opposition, and what we are about is real climate action.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, on relevance, I know that the notes are quite clear and the member is reading from them, but I would say that you have ruled. There are opportunities in this place to debate the questions the member is talking about. It is just not now.
Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, there is no point of order. The member for Northcote is being highly relevant to the government business program in her contributions, and I request that you let her get on with it.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: On the point of order, I would encourage the member not to branch into debating the bill at hand and to come back to the government business program as a whole.
Kat THEOPHANOUS: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. It is interesting how touchy those opposite are on this. The second bill on the business program is of course the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill 2023. I know that we rely a great deal on earth resources for many vital aspects of our lives, so I am looking forward to hearing that debate in the house later this week. I understand that it proposes some stronger penalty units to ensure the industry operates at the highest standards, and I will be listening intently to that. There was also – oh, I have run out of time, it appears, but I commend the government business program.
Jade BENHAM (Mildura) (16:13): How wonderful it is to be back in this place, all looking rejuvenated, smiling, and some of us with a golden tan from our time off. How luxurious – not me. We are looking forward to debating the government business program. However, as the Manager of Opposition Business stated, we will be opposing it on this side of the house for the simple reason that we do believe that there are many issues listed on the notice paper and many issues that are not listed on the notice paper as yet that perhaps are of higher priority, particularly for those out in the regions.
There are also, as the Manager of Opposition Business stated, any number of motions that have been listed that we could be debating, one of those from the member for Gippsland South regarding an inquiry into road trauma and road safety. If you have driven anywhere outside of the freeways or urban roads of late, you would know that this is of the utmost importance and absolutely should be a topic being debated – whether we have a joint parliamentary inquiry into road safety and road trauma in this state, possibly because of the condition of the roads. They have been bad for a long, long time and they are getting worse. That is one of the notices that we could be debating.
Also, the member for Melbourne drew –
Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I am somewhat reluctant to do this, but on the issue of relevance, it would appear that the member for Mildura has not taken any heed of what the Manager of Opposition Business was saying in his points of order, and I ask that you draw her back to the government business program.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Minister. Similarly to the member for Northcote, I encourage us all to stick to and around the government business program.
Jade BENHAM: Thank you – yes, around it. There are some bills here that are very, very relevant to my patch. Let us make no mistake: mineral resources are in abundance in the north-west of this state, and that is certainly something that I am looking forward to contributions on from both sides of the house. Energy safety, again, is something that is very relevant in my electorate, with the amount of investment that has gone into solar farms in particular and the investment into wind farms. And of course let us not forget the big powerlines that are being considered at the moment to get all of that power, because we have an abundance of sun – more sun than the Gold Coast – in the Sunraysia region. But getting that power from our patch into the city – yes, that needs to be debated as well.
A member: And across regional Victoria.
Jade BENHAM: And across regional Victoria.
Like the member for Brighton also stated, there are many notices – none of which we actually know we are going to be debating. As the Nationals Whip in the Legislative Assembly I put together the speaking list on a weekly basis, and it is getting very full. We like one-page, very concise, direct timetables, and it is getting very full because we have to be – well, we are – very prepared. But that page is getting very, very full with a list of motions that could be debated. Whether or not they will be we do not actually know.
One of those, for example, might be the budget take-note motion, which has been delayed and delayed and delayed. Why would that be? Probably because it is not a great budget. We could be debating the outcome and the fallout of the Commonwealth Games cancellation and what that will mean for regions like Mildura, for regions like Morwell and for regions like Shepparton. We should be able to have a debate in great detail regarding that cancellation as well as the non-government business that is listed on the notice paper. The community have a right – all Victorians have a right – to have their electorate matters and the issues that matter to them heard in this place. That is what we are elected to do; that is what the government business program should allow us to do. If we cannot do that, it does make our job all that more difficult. There are ways to work around it, but for the sake of particularly regional Victorians and people on this side of the house and their communities, it would be of great benefit.
Lauren KATHAGE (Yan Yean) (16:18): I am pleased to make a contribution on the government business program. We got underway this morning with a condolence motion for Tom Roper. I had not heard about his involvement in the Freedom Ride led by Charlie Perkins. As somebody who finds that something to be inspired by, I was inspired by hearing about Tom’s contribution to that. His involvement in student politics led him to do that, and my time in student politics hearing about things like the Freedom Ride is why I am sitting on this side of the chamber, so it is great.
This week we will be debating the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill 2023 and the Energy Legislation Amendment (Energy Safety) Bill 2023. Both bills are fundamentally about a government with foresight, a government that is looking to the future. They are about this government continuing its program of modernisation. Like a lot of the work of this government, the focus is triplefold, if that is a word. We are looking at the benefits for the community – the people of Victoria – the benefits for the environment and the benefits for industry, and we are seeking to futureproof arrangements to make sure that we are always keeping in lock step with advances. Our bold vision for the future needs to be worked towards step by step and bill by bill, so I am glad to be in the chamber this week taking that next step as we introduce the next bill, bringing that foresight into close view.
We have got new technologies in Victoria, and with them come new risks to be managed. Things are not the same as they were when my father-in-law worked at a goldmine fixing diesel engines, and they are certainly not the same as they were when my grandfather built machinery at a coalmine. Times and technology have changed. That is why it is important that this is debated in the house this week. It is so important that we have careful oversight of the mineral resources and energy infrastructure in Victoria. We know that Victoria is one of the most fire-prone regions in the world, and we are responding to that carefully, just as we are responding to the opportunities that are afforded us by being in Victoria with all of the renewable energy advances that we are seeing here. I note that the member for Mildura also noted the investment in solar energy and wind farms, and I am glad that she has noticed our investments.
A member interjected.
Lauren KATHAGE: More sun than the Gold Coast. But these things do not just happen. It takes a government that looks to the future, that has a vision and that rolls up its sleeves and gets it done. You know, we are not worried about having too many names on a piece of paper or the difficulties of figuring out who is speaking. We are very busy getting it done. We have got our sleeves rolled up, and small barriers will not be the reason for us to introduce procedural delays or slow down the work of the government. We have got things to do, and that is what we are getting on and doing.
I did leave the house on a bit of a cliffhanger last sitting week, and I do apologise for that. I was the last speaker on the budget take-note motion, but you may be pleased to know I do have a few minutes left. I am looking forward later in the week to speaking more about what the budget means for the people of Yan Yean. I think I made it through the sport and education investments, but I am looking forward to speaking more about the infrastructure investments for the people of Yan Yean.
I am hoping that this week we will see contributions from both sides of the house. We heard from the member for Brighton that he is looking forward to having people opposite speaking about the budget and what it means for their communities, and certainly that is what this place is all about. I am sure he will have stories to tell of their support for free kinder and their support for the cost-of-living measures that were built in our budget. There will be a lot to say, I am sure, for the many people living all across Victoria that this government continues to deliver for.
David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (16:23): This is the laziest government that I think Victoria has ever seen. They have come to this place when we are in a cost-of-living crisis, when we have debt blowing out to unprecedented levels and when we have the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games, and we expect this government to come here today ready to work. Instead we have got two bills to discuss. This is what we have seen time and time again from the laziest government you could ever imagine, a government that literally has let Victorians down. They have let Victorians down at a time when we desperately need leadership, and we are getting none of it from this government – two bills.
We have got one bill here on energy. Now, energy is a classic example of how this government has completely led us to a cost-of-living crisis. Victorians cannot afford to heat their homes. Victorians cannot afford the power bills that they get every day. They are shivering through winter. We have seen a 25 per cent increase in our energy bills, and what does this government say? This government says, ‘Another policy, another $1000 off your energy bill.’ If you counted how many times the energy minister has said that Victorians will be getting a discount on their energy bills, we would be getting a rebate – the government would be paying us for our energy bills right now. But instead we are all paying the price for the government’s mismanagement and their waste. It is time this lazy government actually got up and did something.
If you want the best example that Victorians have ever seen, there is another wasted $4 billion, we are talking now, in terms of a blowout, and $2 billion of waste in terms of cancellation of the Commonwealth Games, and we are not talking about it. The government is hiding. They are hiding as quickly as they possibly can. They have taken the Commonwealth Games portfolios off two ministers. They have got the parliamentary secretary, who they are paying $1000 a week – they are still paying him – and they are taking his portfolio off him. This government is in an absolute mess, and ultimately Victorians are paying the price each and every day – a billion dollars. We saw the cancellation of a contract when the Premier was coming in, and on his way out there is another billion dollars for a cancelled Commonwealth Games.
Kat Theophanous: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I understood from your previous rulings on the government business program that it was not an opportunity to debate legislation or to attack the government, and you are pretty clear about your rulings. So just on relevance, could you please bring the member into line.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Member. The member for Caulfield has strayed somewhat, and I encourage him to come back to the government business program.
David SOUTHWICK: Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. I understand that. It is because I am very passionate at the moment and very angry in terms of what this government has actually done with the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games.
This is a very light-on program. It has got two bills. This would be the perfect opportunity for the government to roll up their sleeves and start talking about the issues that matter to all Victorians. What are we going to do about the cost-of-living crisis that we are all facing each and every day? We have got energy on the agenda here as a bill but no solutions in terms of how we are going to bring energy prices down other than spin – spin after spin after spin. This government is wasting its way into oblivion. We are all paying the price.
It is the worst government that we have ever seen, a government that is so lazy. In the last term of government we would see four or five bills – in their term. They have turned off the lights. They have effectively said, ‘We’ve given up.’ It is lazy and it is incompetent at a time when Victorians need leadership. We should be talking about these issues. We have got motions on the table here that we should be debating. We have budget take-note motions in each and every one of our portfolios and in each one of our electorates, where money should be spent to help Victorians get along in terms of improving their lives, and that is not what we are talking about at the moment. That is not what we are discussing. We are not talking about what the government could be doing to manage things better. Signing themselves up to a contract for the Commonwealth Games and then cancelling it – I mean, what a disgrace. And another cancellation fee that all Victorians will pay – they all will pay – with no details, no transparency. This is the worst government that we have ever seen.
The Deputy Premier should resign, quite frankly, for what she has done to Victoria – $30 billion worth of budget blowouts under the Deputy Premier and now another $4 billion for the Commonwealth Games. This Deputy Premier needs a calculator. She cannot manage anything, certainly not numbers, and she wants to be the future Premier of Victoria. It is a joke; it is a laughing-stock. The Deputy Premier should resign. She should be ashamed of herself and what she has done to Victoria. Ashamed of herself – that is what the Deputy Premier should be. It is a disgrace.
Assembly divided on motion:
Ayes (52): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Darren Cheeseman, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Paul Edbrooke, Will Fowles, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Martha Haylett, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Lauren Kathage, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Michaela Settle, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Noes (25): Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Annabelle Cleeland, Chris Crewther, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, David Hodgett, Emma Kealy, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, John Pesutto, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, David Southwick, Bill Tilley, Bridget Vallence, Kim Wells, Jess Wilson
Motion agreed to.