Government performance
Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): My question is to the Premier. After 12 years of Labor and three premiers, Victoria has the highest taxes, the highest debt, the highest unemployment, record crime, roads littered with potholes and failing services, with $15 billion siphoned off the Big Build. Why is every Victorian, other than bikies and criminals, worse off after 12 years of Labor?
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: The Minister for Housing is warned. The Minister for Public Transport is warned.
Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier) (14:26): I thank the opposition leader for that Dorothy Dixer, because 12 years, 12 new hospitals, 121 new schools. When we came to office, this state was stagnant and still. We have rebuilt this state, and we are making sure everyone has opportunity, security and prosperity. We are making sure everyone can fulfil their dreams. We have the highest paid teachers in the nation. When we came here, we were 11 out of 20 in NAPLAN. Now we are 18 out of 20. We have changed this state for the better, and we will stand for working people every single day.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: The member for Monbulk is warned. The member for Polwarth is warned.
Brad Rowswell: Speaker, on a point of order on relevance, I thought the house had determined that valedictories were to be later in the program today.
Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): The Premier sat around the cabinet table for almost a decade, backing his predecessors’ decisions. Why should Victorians trust this government with another four years when even the Premier is ashamed of the legacy he has been a part of?
Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier) (14:27): We make no apologies on this side for fighting for working people, for security, for prosperity and for nation-building. They are One Nation building – grievance, division. Victorians know that with Labor we will always fight for them, not $40 billion in cuts that will go straight to the heart of working people, and we will always make sure that we have a great state. We will not let a Liberal–One Nation coalition come in here and destroy this state, which we have rebuilt for the better over the past 12 years.