Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. The Treasurer has revealed in the other place that half a billion dollars of the $3 billion in increased emergency services tax will be collected over the forward estimates from rental providers. Why is the government adding additional costs onto renters at a time when they already face a rental affordability and availability crisis?

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs withdrew from chamber.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:32): Let us be clear: the biggest challenge for renters being able to find a property to rent is the question of supply, which is why we are getting on and building more homes right across the state, and it is why I note that consistently the coalition in partnership with the Greens like to team up and oppose those efforts to build more homes right across the state. So if the Leader of the National Party was so focused on and concerned about making sure renters have access to a property, they would back our housing reforms, they would back the changes like the activity centres –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, on relevance, I ask you to bring the Premier back to the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Deputy Speaker, on the point of order, the Premier was being entirely relevant to the question, which asked about access to rental properties for renters. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order and let the Premier get on with answering the question.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question on renters.

Jacinta ALLAN: Again, if the Leader of the National Party was so concerned about ensuring that renters had access to properties, why did the National Party support the attempts to stop the building of more homes near train and tram zones, like we saw in the upper house during the last session?

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. This has got nothing to do with what the Premier is trying to deflect with; it is about the emergency services tax hurting renters.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: We will remain focused on making sure that we are getting on and doing everything we can to build more homes so more renters can have access to a property where they want to live.

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:34): What modelling has the government undertaken to show what the impact of this new $500 million tax grab will be on renters already struggling with soaring rents during a housing crisis?

Dylan Wight interjected.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Tarneit can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Tarneit withdrew from chamber.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:34): Let us remember that this is all about providing more support to our fire and emergency services.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual in her responses; I would ask you to ask her to be so.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier and all members are expected to be factual at all times. The Premier was being relevant to the question, and it is not for the Chair to dictate what a minister or member says.

Jacinta ALLAN: Taking that existing levy and ensuring that it covers our emergency services, who protect us in times of –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: Well, I think those people who work in the State Control Centre, who worked to protect the community of Pomonal when the fire was raining down on that community, are all about supporting the community. Let us not denigrate those public services. The question from the deputy leader again reminds us that there is a giant cut coming to our emergency services from those opposite. They have not said what would fill their black hole.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order on the question of relevance, Deputy Speaker, the question was about both modelling and rent, and the Premier has not gone remotely close to either of them.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant but had strayed at the end. The Premier has concluded her answer.