Wednesday, 18 February 2026

 Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Minister for Finance, Minister for Government Services) (14:33): It is great to be back, and I rise to update the house on the Allan Labor government’s plan to grow the economy and create more jobs for Victorians. We know that businesses are continuing to choose to invest in Victoria and to do business here. Through our Economic Growth Statement we have set up the investment front door and have an investment coordinator-general to make it easier and faster to do business here, and we have seen fantastic results. I am delighted to inform the house that since the release of the Economic Growth Statement we have facilitated, assessed or approved – wait for it, it is a big number, it is a glorious number – more than $24 billion in private sector investment, which is supporting thousands of jobs. That means more highly skilled jobs for Victorians and a more secure economic future for their families.

Today I was delighted to announce ITC Infotech’s new state-of-the-art digital and AI engineering hub in Melbourne. This new facility is going to create 150 new high-skill technology jobs and cement Victoria’s status as Australia’s leading digital technology and innovation hub. Since we were elected we have created more than 892,000 jobs and are providing more opportunities for workers to upskill, like through our successful digital jobs program, upskilling construction and advanced manufacturing workers and apprentices with in-demand skills. While we are creating more jobs, those opposite are lining up to cut them. Their $11.1 billion budget black hole means one thing: cuts to jobs.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, again a minister is misusing his ministers statement to attack the opposition. It is a pattern of behaviour.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, in relation to the point of order, I draw your attention to the ruling by Minister Brooks that a minister may countenance a range of policy positions, and that is exactly what the minister on his feet was doing.

The SPEAKER: There are a couple of ways of interpreting the rulings around this. One is as a direct attack on the opposition currently sitting on the benches; the other is as a compare and contrast of previous governments and previous administrations. I ask the minister to come back to his ministers statement without attacking the current opposition.

Danny PEARSON: What I can say is that on this side of the house we are not stoking division, we are not engaging in hatred in the community and we are not playing footsies with racists. We are relentlessly focused on Victorians. We are growing the economy. We are creating good, secure and well-paid jobs. The reality is that if you have $11.1 billion worth of cuts it has got to come from somewhere, and Victorian workers will pay the price.