Thursday, 16 October 2025

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:22): My question is to the Premier. Why does Victoria once again have the highest unemployment rate in the nation?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:22): In data that has also been released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more people found a job here in Victoria than in any other state, and we also have the highest workforce participation rate. And I say this to the Shadow Treasurer: we will always back Victorians in to support them to find a job and to get a job. Whether they are a public sector worker, who those opposite do not seem to support time and again, whether it is construction workers on one of our big projects –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is being relevant to the question. She is not debating.

Jacinta ALLAN: I was asked a question about jobs, and we are committed to supporting more Victorians to find a job. You do not help Victorians get a job by cutting our pipeline of major projects, which those opposite are committed to. You do not support frontline services by cutting those workers who work in those frontline services, like Liberals always do, time and again. And you do not support jobs in our emergency services by cutting the emergency services levy. It is –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker: relevance.

The SPEAKER: The question went to unemployment. The Premier was referring to jobs. The Premier is being relevant.

Jacinta ALLAN: I make these points because we want to support more Victorians to get into work, and the way you do that is by investing in those frontline services, because behind those frontline services are workers. By investing in a pipeline of construction projects, in schools and hospitals, in transport projects, you are backing not just construction workers, but for every job on a construction site, for every worker in a high-vis vest, there are another 200 in the supply chain. And that reflects our great, strong manufacturing sector that also benefits from that government investment that goes into our construction program. That is how you back Victorian workers, by continuing to understand that it is government investment that can drive jobs and drive the economic conditions in our state. And I say this because I remember sitting here for the member for Kew’s inaugural speech when she said it is not government that creates jobs. That is the policy of the member for Kew. She does not believe in the value of public sector. She does not believe –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this is just sledging. The Premier has not yet gone to the question.

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

Jacinta ALLAN: I was asked a question about jobs, and I was reminding –

James Newbury interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Brighton, this is your last warning.

Jacinta ALLAN: I appreciate the member for Kew might now be a little embarrassed about what she said in that inaugural speech, because what that said in her inaugural speech tells you everything you need to know about the Liberal Party and the philosophy of the member for Kew. They do not believe in public sector workers. They do not believe in public sector investment to drive the economy.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Bulleen, this is your last warning. Member for Frankston, this is your last warning – and the member for Mordialloc.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, this is just an abuse of the chamber.

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

Jacinta ALLAN: We will continue to back Victorian workers with our investments in frontline services and in construction, and also we will back those workers to have the right to work from home at least two days a week.

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:26): Premier, you have been Premier for 25 months now. Can the Premier explain to Victorians why Victoria’s unemployment rate has been above the national average for the last 20 consecutive months?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:27): Let me share another figure with the house: 6.7 per cent was the unemployment rate when those opposite were last on the government benches.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, can I seek your guidance on relevance. There is no link between the Premier’s answers and the questions. I am seeking your guidance on relevance. This is an abuse of the chamber.

The SPEAKER: Order! That is not the correct way to raise a point of order. I do ask the Premier to come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: If I can say to the Manager of Opposition Business, in answering the question, it is entirely relevant because what we have done during that investment I spoke of – investing in frontline workers through public service investment, investing in construction workers and the supply chain through our investment in major projects that are opposed constantly by those opposite – is driven down that unemployment rate, and we know across the nation it is now at historic lows.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual. She has driven it to the highest in the nation.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: This is what you can achieve through investing in frontline services, investing in construction projects and understanding the role government has in supporting working people and families to have the dignity of a job. That is what we believe on this side of the house. Labor governments invest to support people to have a job.