Thursday, 31 October 2024

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:34): My question is to the Premier. How much interest are Victorians paying on our net debt each day?

Members interjecting.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:34): I have had some assistance from my colleagues. As they pointed out, this is a question that was asked and addressed yesterday in this place.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, on relevance, three times the Premier has been asked this question in relation to debt and interest, and the Premier is yet to answer the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, the Premier has been on her feet for 15 seconds. She is being entirely relevant to the question. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier has just started her response and will continue.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I indicated in the 15 seconds after I started answering the question, this question was asked and addressed yesterday in this place. Also, alongside the reporting that happens each and every year and throughout the year through the budget papers, of course we know that interest rates also have some fluidity depending on what the Reserve Bank decides at its regular board meetings. What we are focused on every day is continuing to grow the economy, creating more jobs than any other state –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. Repeatedly the Premier has been asked how much the interest is – repeatedly – and the Premier is refusing to answer the question. It is just evasive.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier is being relevant to the question asked and will continue, preferably in silence.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I was saying, it is no coincidence that every time I talk about Victoria creating more jobs than any other state in the nation the opposition jump up and do a point of order at that precise moment, because these are facts that they do not like to hear. They do not like to hear that the Victorian economy is forecast to grow strongly, and we will continue to support the strength of our economy. We will not be introducing cuts like the Liberal Party are proposing to do, as they revealed just this very week.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the Premier is required to be direct and relevant. Three times the Premier has been asked about interest in Victoria – three times. The Premier is not going anywhere near the question that was asked. This is an important question, and I would ask you to ask the Premier to address the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, we know the member for Brighton loves the sound of his own voice – getting up constantly and interrupting the Premier, who has been directly relevant to the question that was asked of her – and I ask that you rule him out of order.

John Pesutto: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, we cannot make the question any simpler. If the Premier does not want to answer it, she should simply tell the Victorian people that the Premier will refuse to answer the question. How much interest are Victorians paying every day? It is a simple question; we just want a number.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: A question was asked about net debt. The answer was answering on net debt. The Premier was being relevant to the question. I am not in a position to tell the Premier how to answer her question, as you have heard before. The Premier has finished her answer.

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:39): The Premier has now been asked three times how much interest Victorians are paying on our net debt every day. Is the Premier so financially incompetent that she cannot answer basic questions about the budget?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:39): I again remind the Shadow Minister for Finance that this information and information that is contained in many of the questions that are asked by the opposition is published regularly through the budget papers. But really, as we know, when it comes to supporting Victorian workers, when it comes to supporting Victorian families, Victorians know that they can trust Labor governments to look after them, as opposed to those opposite, who have revealed their plans for cuts, who have revealed their plans for a US-style –

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I am not sure who that was, but you are warned.

Jess Wilson: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, on relevance, this was about financial incompetence and the budget. And just so the Premier knows, it is $17.8 million every single day.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question. A point of order is not an opportunity to repeat the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: And just so Victorians know, the Liberal Party revealed this week that once again they will cut those frontline services the Victorian community relies on.