Thursday, 15 May 2025

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. Suicides in Victoria have increased from 676 in 2021 to 777 last year. Despite this, $173 million in suicide prevention measures are at risk of being cut in next week’s budget. Will the Premier guarantee not one cent will be cut from suicide prevention in Victoria?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:03): In thanking the Leader of the Opposition for his question, can I say this in general in terms of answering any question regarding the budget that will be handed down in this place by the Treasurer next Tuesday: the budget will be detailed to the house next Tuesday. I want to be absolutely clear that, unlike some on that side of the house, we will never cut into frontline workers. We will not cut into our nurses, teachers, police or child protection workers. Let me be clear: we will be investing every dollar where it matters most to working people and their families. What I will say in regard to the reference to mental health programs is that it would be very concerning for the Leader of the Opposition to continue this pattern of questioning and to use programs – which on an annual basis, a triennial basis or over a four-year period are to be considered by government in the usual way – to cause fear and concern amongst vulnerable Victorians. That would be deeply disappointing.

The Leader of the Opposition referenced data from 2021. In 2021 we received the landmark royal commission report into mental health, a royal commission that was only called because Labor governments recognised that it was a system that was not working for people with mental illness, it was a system that was not working for their carers and it was a system that needed reform. We are going about investing in that system. Billions of dollars have been invested in that system; that includes investment from the mental health levy that those opposite opposed. Those opposite opposed that investment in mental health.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. It is a very narrow question: will the Premier guarantee not one cent will be cut from suicide prevention programs? I ask you to ask the Premier to come back to that very narrow question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, on the point of order, I have lost count of the number of times that you have counselled the Manager of Opposition Business not to use points of order as an opportunity to ask the question again. The Premier was not debating the question at all. She was answering the question and quite rightly pointing out that those on the opposite side voted against and did not support the mental health levy.

The SPEAKER: Order! I also counsel the Leader of the House about longwinded points of order. I do not uphold the point of order on this occasion.

Jacinta ALLAN: It was only Labor that committed to implement each and every one of those royal commission recommendations – the Liberal Party did not – and we will continue to implement those recommendations. More importantly, we will continue to invest in the workforce, invest in rebuilding the system and invest in supporting people with mental illness and their carers, who deserve that focus and support.

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): Since 2020 family violence incidents have increased by 12,275, a 13 per cent increase. Despite this, over $44 million of family violence programs are being put at risk of being cut in the upcoming budget because of Labor’s financial mismanagement. Will the Premier guarantee to not cut one cent from family violence measures in Victoria?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:07): Again, the reason why we can talk about the family violence royal commission is because a Labor government called it, and a Labor government is implementing each and every one of those recommendations, which, once again, those opposite did not support. We have invested more than $4 billion in family violence prevention and support programs. We are proud of that investment and will continue to build on that investment. I think I went to this yesterday. On Saturday, Speaker, when you and I stood in Bendigo with victims, women who are victims and survivors of family violence, we understood keenly why it is so important to invest, to stand alongside them and to believe them and to not play political games like those opposite are doing here today. Victims of family violence deserve to have us standing with them and supporting them.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, it was a very narrow question about $44 million being cut from family violence programs. I ask you to ask the Premier to come back to that very narrow question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier, I think, has concluded her answer.