Wednesday, 12 August 2026

 Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:30): Over the last 12 years Victoria’s economy has grown faster than any other state and is now 28.7 per cent larger than it was in 2014–15. More than 893,000 new jobs have been created since November 2014, including around 675,000 jobs since the peak of the pandemic, the highest increase of any state or territory. Business investment has grown by 66 per cent over the last decade, and it has been the strongest growth in the nation. It is up over 14 per cent in the year to March. We are also the only government on the east coast of Australia to deliver a budget surplus this year whilst our fiscal outlook is unchanged by credit ratings.

But a strong economy and a strong fiscal position are not about government, they are about people. The Carroll Labor government will always invest in the services that Victorians rely on: hospitals, schools, police and growing jobs. But there are others who will work with One Nation to cut $40 billion from these very services. The scale of these cuts is enormous. These cuts will hurt every Victorian family. They will impact every street in every suburb and town of our state. Schools will be impacted by this $40 billion worth of cuts. Kindergartens will be impacted by this $40 billion worth of cuts. TAFE will be impacted by this $40 billion worth of cuts. Child protection will be impacted by this $40 billion worth of cuts. Hospitals will be impacted by this $40 billion worth of cuts. Make no mistake, the Liberal and One Nation cuts will hurt Victorian families and cause pain in every community.