Thursday, 27 August 2026

 Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:21): The Carroll Labor government is backing regional Victoria, and you do not have to look far to see it. It was great to spend time last week in Ararat talking to local businesses with the hardworking member for Ripon. Then I went down to meet with the Committee for Geelong with the members for Lara, Geelong and Bellarine and Ms Tierney from the other place. Since coming to government, Labor has invested an average of more than $4 billion every year in regional Victoria, more than twice what the Liberals and Nationals managed when they were last in government. Regional unemployment has fallen from 6.6 ‍per cent under the former Liberal–National government to 3.7 per cent today. We have cut regional payroll tax to just a quarter of the metropolitan rate, the lowest in the country, to help regional businesses grow and create more jobs. We are backing that growth with projects like the Ballarat Base Hospital upgrade in the member for Wendouree’s electorate, and we have upgraded the Maryborough hospital in the member for Ripon’s electorate. We have built the fantastic Nyaal Banyul convention centre in Geelong, and there is also the Gippsland line upgrade, to announce just a few upgrades. We are delivering the infrastructure, jobs and opportunities regional Victorians deserve.

These are the sorts of investments that only Labor governments deliver, while the Liberals and Nationals have a long history of treating regional Victoria as an afterthought. Who could forget the former Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett describing regional Victoria as the toenails of the state? In fact the member for Brighton recently called them out-of-towners. We know what $40 billion worth of cuts would do to regional jobs, services –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, in speaking to the chamber, the minister is required to be factual. He is leaving out the fact that this government has spent 12 per cent of infrastructure investment in the regions when we are a quarter of the state.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Nationals, a point of order is not an opportunity to make a statement to the house. There is no point of order.

Colin BROOKS: We know what $40 billion of cuts would do to regional jobs, services and communities.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, I draw your attention to Speaker Brooks’s ruling in relation to misuse of a ministers statement when it attacks the opposition. I would suggest to you that Minister Brooks is breaching that ruling.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer has not mentioned the opposition.

Colin BROOKS: But I will say, under Jess you will get less.

The SPEAKER: Treasurer, I ask you to not address members in that manner. As you are a former Speaker, I expect better from you.