Thursday, 19 February 2026

 Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (09:53): In my time in this place I have never seen anything like what is known as the Rotting from the Top report, which outlines the biggest corruption in the state’s history. Its allegations of deep corruption outline costs to taxpayers of $15 billion, which Geoffrey Watson SC said was probably conservative. When our Premier was asked by the media if she was looking the other way before 2024 and how did she not know what was bleedingly obvious, she just answered by saying she referred it to IBAC, but we now know that she was told that IBAC did not have the powers to investigate. So what happened then? Absolutely nothing. Not good enough.

Mary-Anne Thomas interjected.

Tim BULL: Not good enough, Minister for Health. On the $15 billion in waste, the Premier simply said the claim is not well tested but then would refuse to test it. We need a royal commission. These are claims by a senior counsel, not a newspaper or the opposition, and they need to be investigated properly. We have a government hitting Victorians with a raft of new taxes – $3 billion on the emergency services levy – whilst wasting $15 billion on these complete rorts. Premier, you either knew or should have known. It is time for you to go.