Wednesday, 4 March 2026

 Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (14:17): My question is to the Premier. Premier, why is the Victorian Labor government spending over $400 million of taxpayer funds for luxury corporate box upgrades at the grand prix when our public schools and community health centres do not even have the basic funding that they need?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:18): The second part of the member for Melbourne’s question is just flat out wrong. Only Labor governments have invested and keep investing in important public health and community health infrastructure but also the workforce – the workforce inside our great public health system. We have doubled the size of the public health workforce because we back our nurses, our allied health specialists and our healthcare workers to take care of Victorians, because it is everyday Victorians that need access to a strong public health system.

In dealing with the first part of the member for Melbourne’s question, it is very clear that we back the grand prix because it is an important event for our state. We know the Greens political party have a view on this. We back not only our big major events calendar; we do so because, again, there are workers in this industry that need a government focused on delivering a major events pipeline that supports them to have security of employment year in, year out. That is why we have the grand prix. That is coming up this weekend, and I think the minister is going to tell me that tickets have sold out ‍– record crowds for the grand prix this weekend. The member for Melbourne will not be going to the grand prix, I am sure, but if she was she could get there by getting off at Anzac station. We are making it easier for people to get to the grand prix by getting off at the Anzac station and popping over to Albert Park. Alongside the grand prix, we have just come off the biggest Australian Open ever. This month in Melbourne – let me get it right – we have got the food and wine festival and we have got the comedy festival. I have mentioned the grand prix, and the start of the AFL –

Tim Read: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I think we have wandered a long way off the topic.

The SPEAKER: The Premier rejected the question at the outset. The Premier is answering the question.

Paul Edbrooke interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: I do like Ed Sheeran, and I neglected to mention him, member for Frankston. My point is this: we are proud of our major events pipeline. We are proud of it because it brings visitors to our state. It keeps Melbourne and Victoria on the international map, and it also supports the thousands and thousands of hardworking Victorian workers in hospitality, in tourism and in the major events industry, who work incredibly hard event in, event out. They are proud of what they do, and I thank them and remind them that it is only a Labor government that will back them.

 Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (14:21): Premier, this Labor government has refused a request for a measly $4 million to keep our local community health centre open. This Labor government cannot find a tiny amount of money to remove asbestos at my local primary school, but they can find over $400 million for luxury upgrades at the grand prix. How is this fair?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:21): The first part of the member’s supplementary question is not correct. The Minister of Health is working very hard –

Ellen Sandell: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is misleading the house. It was factually correct that they have refused a request for $4 million for community health.

The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order, member for Melbourne.

Jacinta ALLAN: The Greens have never let facts get in the way of an answer or a question. As I was saying, the Minister for Health is working with her federal colleague on these matters. But again, we are backing the workers in our major events industry, and I want to thank them ahead of what is going to be a blockbuster weekend where Melbourne is on the international map because our Labor government backs the event and backs the workers who work in this industry.