Tuesday, 18 November 2025

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): My question is to the Premier. SEC Newgate Research shows that 73 per cent of Victorians think the state is heading in the wrong direction, by far the highest of any state in Australia. Why has confidence in the state fallen under the Premier’s leadership?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:42): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. I understand very keenly from talking to many working people and families on a regular basis that the cost-of-living pressures that they are experiencing are real and are putting great pressure on them and their families. That is why, in spending time listening to working people and their families, in this year’s state budget we invested – and those opposite like to talk about government investments and budgets – in significant cost-of-living support. This is what working people and families need their government to be focused on right now, which is why in this year’s budget we announced that we will be introducing free public transport for children under the age of 18 from 1 ‍January next year. It is why we are also introducing free public transport for seniors every weekend. It is why we have had another round of the power saving bonus, recognising that alongside the other energy programs it supports people, particularly people on concessions and low-income families, to manage some of the pressures that come from their energy bills. It is why – I know there was a different approach where they cut the education maintenance allowance and Fresh Fruit Friday – we invest through our schools. There are breakfast programs in every school. I have had the privilege to see kids serving breakfast through this program to their classmates, meaning that kids not only get the chance to have a meal at the start of the day but go on to be able to do their very best in the classroom over the day. The Glasses for Kids program and the Smile Squad program are practical ways that we support families with these pressures.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, may I take you to a number of rulings on page 155 of Rulings from the Chair, where the Speaker advised the minister to restrict their answer, even though the question was broad ranging, so that it was not a de facto ministerial statement. I put to you that this, by definition, is simply debating the question and has not in any way gone to the substance of the actual question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. It was a broad-ranging question. The Premier has taken the opportunity to advise the house of the many real Victorians that she has had the opportunity to engage with and the very real actions our government is taking in order to support the real challenges Victorians are experiencing.

The SPEAKER: There are many rulings from the Chair – many of them contradictory, I might point out. The Premier was being relevant in the sense that she was talking about confidence in the state.

Jacinta ALLAN: Also we are doing work to support working people and families to have access to the health care that they need, which is why care at the chemist is such an important initiative where we are expanding the number of conditions people can get treated for at the chemist, saving them time and money in not having to go and try and see a GP to get the care that they need at the chemist. We are making these investments because we understand that working people and families need a government that is on their side, that is focused on them and that acknowledges that these cost-of-living pressures are very real for many families right now. We will remain firmly focused on these families, on supporting working people, not only with jobs, as I was saying earlier, but with real cost-of-living support.

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:46): According to the same research, the performance of the Labor government was rated at just 27 per cent. Why is the Labor government failing to meet the needs of Victorians?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:46): The irony – to be asked about polling and research on today of all days by the Leader of the Opposition. My goodness – today of all days. I think the member for Berwick is doing a very good job over there with his game face on, having to sit there and listen to a question like that. This question exposes what the Liberal Party are all about: themselves, not Victorians.

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

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

Jacinta ALLAN: These are the same Victorians that we are focused on. Whilst those opposite are focused on themselves and not trusting each other, we are focused on delivering the real cost-of-living support that they need, the investment in frontline services that they deserve and the investment in building for the future, whether it is homes or the transport projects that our growing city and state need. We know the Liberal Party know only one way, and that is to cut, and Victorians know we are focused on them and their future.