Thursday, 5 March 2026

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): My question is to the Premier. The Minister for Transport Infrastructure has confirmed that Gatto-linked M Group currently have a presence on the North East Link. How much taxpayer money has gone to underworld-linked companies operating on Big Build projects?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:35): Again, as I have said previously in answers to questions of this nature, criminal activity and allegations of criminal activity on worksites are a serious issue, and they must face the full force of the law. They require strong and immediate action, which is why we have taken that strong and immediate action.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this question specifically asked how much money the Premier has given crooks.

The SPEAKER: Member for Brighton, that is not what the question was. It was similar, but not those words.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, on the point of order, the Manager of Opposition Business is consistently defying your very clear rulings that points of order are not an opportunity to restate the question. I ask that you ask the members of the opposition to desist from doing that when making points of order.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: It is a serious matter because workers on those worksites deserve to go to work every single day, engaged through the private companies that employ them, and they deserve to have safe and secure workplaces, which is why in providing Victoria Police with additional tools and powers and the Labour Hire Authority with the powers that they need we are seeing strong action on this front, with Victoria Police having laid multiple charges and arrests as recently as yesterday and a Labour Hire Authority, opposed by those opposite, that is taking strong action and cancelling licences.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is clearly debating the question. The Premier is not dealing with the substance of the specific question and is responding generally.

The SPEAKER: I cannot tell the Premier how to respond to a question. The Premier is being relevant. She was referring to underworld-linked companies operating on Big Build projects.

Jacinta ALLAN: As evidenced by the actions from the Labour Hire Authority and Victoria Police as recently as yesterday, these agencies have the powers they need and they are using them.

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:37): Why is the Premier so disinterested in finding out –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier! Attorney-General! The member for Eureka can leave the chamber for an hour and a half. I would appreciate it if you did not use unparliamentary language.

Member for Eureka withdrew from chamber.

Jess WILSON: Why is the Premier so disinterested in finding out how much taxpayer money has gone to underworld-linked businesses that she will not call a royal commission?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Mordialloc can leave the chamber for an hour.

Member for Mordialloc withdrew from chamber.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:39): The Leader of the Opposition is absolutely wrong in her claim. When it comes to being interested or otherwise in policy matters, there is something that has been missing all week from the contributions of the Liberal Party to this place: not a word about the housing policy.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport Infrastructure can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Minister for Transport Infrastructure withdrew from chamber.

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

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

Jacinta ALLAN: My government is focused on taking strong action now, and that is action that has been taken and is working. When the Liberal Party calls for a royal commission, it means cutting into workers’ wages and conditions and going after the good representation that those workers deserve, and we will not stand for that.