Wednesday, 19 June 2024

 Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. When called upon to do so, the Premier, Deputy Premier and Assistant Treasurer all refused to call out the thuggish CFMEU boss John Setka’s threats to delay taxpayer-funded projects. The minister has been silent on this topic. Has illegal or coercive action taken by the –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Evelyn will be heard in silence.

Bridget VALLENCE: Has illegal or coercive action taken by the CFMEU increased the cost of government projects?

 Tim PALLAS (Werribee – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Economic Growth) (14:29): I thank the member for her question, and I also thank her for the opportunity for my silence to finally be broken. I feel like I have been constrained in this place by those opposite never asking me questions. But here is my opportunity now, so I will wax lyrical. Let me be very clear: the Premier has always stood up for the right of people to have a workplace free of intimidation. She has consistently stated this and, quite frankly, it is something that we as a government have lived large by in terms of how we see people dealing with each other in their day-to-day arrangements.

On the secondary part of the question, which went effectively to the impact of arrangements that might have sought to delay projects, can I be very clear that, at the time that the state of Victoria get private sector operators to deliver our projects, they also sign up to assume the risk. They also sign up to deliver the cost of those projects within this. Those opposite of course might want to talk about the cost. We know the cost of our $208 billion infrastructure projects.

John Pesutto: On order a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question was about illegal and coercive CFMEU action driving up costs, so I would ask you to draw the Treasurer back to that question.

The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question. I cannot tell the minister how to answer the question, but he was being relevant.

Tim PALLAS: The cost of our project in this year’s budget came to 3.9 per cent. That is the increase in those costs on that $208 billion project. That was below the inflation rate at the time. Might I also say that if you go back to the preceding year you will find that the cost on our capital works program was less than 1 per cent over the time, so I do not think that we could say that is anything disproportionate to what has been happening in the broader economy. If you go back and look at the increase in commodities for the building and construction industry over the past two years having grown by over 20 per cent, I think it is reasonably fair to say that these projects have been responsibly managed and have demonstrated –

Members interjecting.

Tim PALLAS: Those opposite need some light relief because their life has been so tormented by their own disregard for each other. But let us be clear: the projects that we are delivering are the ones that Victorians voted for, and we are proud of the work that the Victorian corporate sector, the construction industry and the workforce have been able to deliver. Let us remember when we are opening Melbourne Metro that those opposite sought to – well, they did not seek to; they stopped Melbourne Metro. Let us remember that the West Gate Tunnel would have never happened without this government and 75 level crossings would not have been removed without it –

Members interjecting.

Tim PALLAS: Eighty.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Rowville will come to order during question time.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: No, it was not. It was the member for Rowville. Do not point to the member for Narracan. It was you, member for Rowville. This is your warning.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Yan Yean can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Yan Yean withdrew from chamber.

 Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (14:33): The minister once asked:

When will people in Victoria hear members of this government stand up for the rights of workers?

When will the minister stand up for the rights of workers at the AFL, such as the head of umpiring, against the threats and intimidation of the Premier’s friend and CFMEU boss John Setka?

The SPEAKER: I ask the minister to respond to the question as it relates to government business.

 Tim PALLAS (Werribee – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Economic Growth) (14:34): I will try. Can I be very clear that this government stands for respectful workplaces. We recognise the legitimate right of the union movement to represent those within its coverage, and this government will continue to support and to assist businesses in being able to provide respectful and appropriate workplaces.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, if you stood up for respectful workplaces and the rights of workers, you would call John Setka out.

The SPEAKER: Member for Evelyn, you have been here long enough to know how to raise a point of order, and you know very well that is not a way to raise a point of order.

Tim PALLAS: I remind the member that I spent almost 20 years representing workers. I was on occasion described as a union thug, but I have got better over the years since then of course. But what I will remind those opposite is that respectful workplaces are things that ultimately only come as a consequence of respect being shown across our society. This place is where it starts from, and the verballing of the Premier and the attempt to pejoratively describe the Premier in the way she has is inappropriate.