Thursday, 30 November 2023

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:49): For our Labor government, a strong economy is about jobs – supporting jobs in our community. It is about jobs that support people to have a fulfilling career and jobs that provide training and skilled pathways and also, importantly, give families the confidence that they have got those important paybacks coming home every single week. When CommSec says we are the strongest performing economy in the nation, that is important because that means we are supporting more and more jobs in our community. I am proud to say we currently have a record number of Victorians in work. In just the last three years over half a million jobs have been created here in Victoria. That means there are half a million people in work supporting their families to get ahead. What we have seen too is the unemployment rate reflect this effort. In regional Victoria our unemployment rate is the equal lowest in the country, at 2.8 per cent. For the record, our overall unemployment rate is 3.8 per cent.

What you are seeing as you travel around the state is that there is a big program in jobs. There is the work we are doing in building more houses. We have to knock down the blockers and the opposers over there and get on and build more homes for more Victorians. Our investment in removing level crossings, building the Metro Tunnel and supporting suburban road and rail is about jobs, and our big hospital building agenda, our school building agenda, our sports infrastructure agenda are also about supporting jobs. I want to thank, on one job, the bipartisan support of those opposite – they are helping us find people a job. I quote the Australian today:

The Victorian Liberal Party is providing work for the otherwise unemployable.

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for looking after his own job.

Sam Groth: On a point of order, Speaker, I have got a number of unanswered questions: number 314 for the Minister for Environment, which was due two months ago; number 344 for the Minister for Police; number 354 for the Minister for Environment; number 381 for the Premier; number 384 for the Minister for Public and Active Transport; and, seeing as the government wants to keep spruiking housing, one for the Minister for Housing, number 214, which was due four months ago.

Wayne Farnham: On a point of order, Speaker, I have the following questions on notice that are missing and well overdue: question 619 to the Minister for Public and Active Transport, three months overdue; questions 613, 615, 616 and 617 to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, three months overdue; and for the Minister for Regional Development, questions 515, 517, 610 and 611, which are three and five months overdue. I do ask that the ministers answer the questions and not give me press statements. Do you want me to give that to –

The SPEAKER: That is entirely up to you, member for Narracan.

Chris Crewther: On a point of order, Speaker, I have a couple of outstanding questions. The first is adjournment question 379, due on 16 November, asking the Premier to investigate how the government can better support local community members impacted by recent events in Israel and Gaza, including by ensuring the safety of our Jewish community and the investigation, arrest, charging and prosecution of those inciting violence, supporting proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas or engaging in any other potential criminal activity – particularly pertinent right now. The other question is constituency question 286, due on 16 September, to the Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC about unfair WorkSafe bills and claim cost rates made on behalf of Paul, a local in my electorate in the carpeting industry, and other affected locals.

Nicole Werner: On a point of order, Speaker, I bring to the house’s attention question 409, asked on 31 October to the Minister for Emergency Services; question 399, asked on 19 October to the Minister for Environment; and question 385, asked on 18 October to the Minister for Education – all of which are adjournments. The responses are overdue from the ministers, and I ask that the Speaker investigate those and provide a prompt response to the constituents who are affected by those questions. As the Minister for Education would appreciate, it is always best to start your summer holiday homework early.

Tim Read: On a point of order, Speaker, I have two overdue responses: one adjournment, number 397, for the Minister for Mental Health; and one constituency question, number 376, for the Minister for Industrial Relations.