Wednesday, 21 September 2022

 Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:21): On our final sitting day of the 59th Parliament I thought I would reflect on some of the things that have been going on. In June 2020 I had the great privilege of becoming Minister for Employment, Minister for Small Business and Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy. In July 2021 resources was added to these responsibilities, and in July 2022 the sick pay guarantee. Through this extraordinary period of uncertainty for people in the Victorian community I was determined to ensure not only that we helped Victorians through the worst of the pandemic but that, where possible, we came out stronger and better prepared for the future. The investments this government has made have created a legacy that will continue to benefit Victorians for years and decades to come.

Our small businesses absorbed many of the shocks of the lockdowns, and we supported them every step of the way—in addition to the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund, mentoring, mental health and wellbeing, digital jobs, small business adaptation and many, many other new programs.

Our medical researchers are world leading. I am so proud we have been able to back them in. Securing Moderna to come to Melbourne gives us sovereign manufacturing capability and an mRNA ecosystem that is world leading. The $400 million investment into the Australian Institute for Infectious Disease and $75 million for the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics will provide greater preparedness for pandemics to come.

The pandemic revealed the connectivity gaps that have been left by the former federal government, and we are now rolling out the unprecedented $550 million Connecting Victoria program that will make Victoria the most connected state—not 3G, not 4G, but 5G.

In response to the pandemic, with the Working for Victoria program and the Jobs Victoria initiative we said we would create 200 000 jobs, but we have already well exceeded that target. In less than two years 100 000 Victorians have accessed advice and support from Jobs Victoria mentors, career counsellors and advocates, changing lives. We have supported older women get back into work, given young people a new start, helped new migrants find their very first job in Australia and backed our veterans, among others, to find new jobs.

And there is a mining and resources boom. My time is kind of up, and there is so much more I could cover. So much has been achieved, and there is of course so much more for us all to do.