Tuesday, 12 November 2024

 Darren CHEESEMAN (South Barwon) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. Victorians aspire to a place to call home. Labor has recognised this with the housing statement. Why is it important in delivering Labor’s housing statement that careful, thoughtful decision-making be implemented?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members will be respectful in the chamber. The member for Lowan will come to order. The house can do better than this. Would the member for South Barwon repeat the last part of the question, please.

Darren CHEESEMAN: Why is it important in delivering Labor’s housing statement that careful, thoughtful planning and decision-making be implemented?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:32): I thank the member for South Barwon for his question that, from what I could hear through the disorderly interjections of those opposite, went to why it is important that we are looking at building more homes for more Victorians at every opportunity. In terms of why we are building more homes for more Victorians at every opportunity, it is because we know and understand that too many young Victorians – the millennials, if you like – are finding it harder and harder to find their first home, to buy their first home, to start a family and to build their long-term wealth, like other generations that are largely represented here in this chamber. This is a chamber that is largely not represented by millennials. There might be one or two.

A member interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: Thank you for validating my point. There are one or two.

A member interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: I do not know. I think you are stretching it a bit, but there are a couple. My point is that we need to make sure that through our policies and programs and projects we are building more opportunities for all Victorians. It is why we are building train lines. It is why we are investing in the Suburban Rail Loop. It is why we are building more schools. It is why we are building more hospitals. Building more homes is absolutely central to building a fairer society for younger generations, the couple of millennials that are in this place and the large number of young Victorians who are looking to us to do something.

We must do something because if we want to live in a fairer place, if we want to live in a community where younger generations get the go of previous generations, we have to give them more opportunities to buy a home in the places they want to live, maybe close to where they grew up. Why is that important? Because you might want to live close to your mum or dad or family members. You might want to be close to the job of your dreams. You might want to be close to a university or TAFE, where you can pursue an education opportunity that puts you on a pathway to your career goal and dream. This is why we are focused on building more homes, understanding that the system at the moment is not working for those millennials and that we have an obligation.

That is why we have announced the off-the-plan stamp duty concessions. The blockers in the upper house will hopefully be cast aside to see that passed. There is huge work that the planning minister is doing – the huge, transformative work, the hard work, the detailed work – in reforming both the planning and the building systems and the work we are doing through the Big Housing Build as well to support those vulnerable Victorians who need the government to build more homes. That is why, for the benefit of the member for South Barwon, we are determined to keep building more homes.

 Darren CHEESEMAN (South Barwon) (14:35): I thank the Premier. How does this approach contrast with the last government’s decision-making on Phillip Island and at Fishermans Bend?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:36): I say this: we may have disagreement on policy, we may have disagreement on values, but we always need to make sure that we come to this place with a level of respect for how we engage with each other. We must have a level of respect. And the reason why I say this, going back to my answer to the substantive question, is that particularly younger Victorians are looking to us to roll up our sleeves and do some work on getting on and building more homes, not playing political games for crass, baseless political benefits. Victorians know they can trust this government to get on with the hard work of building more homes. They know they cannot trust those opposite, who continue to be at war with each other whether it is in the party room or the courtroom. We see them continuing to be at war with each other while we are building more homes.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I remind members that this place has to be based on respect. Irrespective of what your views are or what political party you come from, it is important that you respect members in this chamber.