Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:20): (1168) My question is to the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, your Suburban Rail Loop Authority spent $196,379 on indoor plants. How many indoor plants does this amount of money get you?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:20): Thank you very much, Mr Mulholland, for your question and for your interest in the largest housing and transport infrastructure project that we have.

Nick McGowan: The largest nursery in Australia, by the sound of it, Minister.

Harriet SHING: In fact I will pick up that interjection, notwithstanding that they are unruly. If you want to talk about the way in which we have engaged in delivering social enterprise returns for the largest level crossing removal process and if you want to talk about the way in which that has delivered fundamentally important outcomes in terms of jobs and employment opportunities for people – again, that measure of economic certainty for people – as part of those partnerships across government, Mr McGowan, then let us do that. With 87 level crossings down, we are talking about –

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, on relevance, I asked how many indoor plants that amount of money buys you, and the minister has not come near the question that I asked.

The PRESIDENT: I have also got a concern – and there are precedents from presiding officers other than me – around the level of detail in asking a question to a minister which would have been better as a question on notice. But I think the minister is happy to assist, so I will call the minister.

Bev McArthur interjected.

Harriet SHING: The Leader of the Opposition is saying I love pot plants. Not as much as you might perhaps love the various plants who are looking for positions on the opposite side of the chamber. I want to perhaps go to the way in which contracts are managed. We do have a range of contracts that are entered into for the purpose of projects, including small and large projects. These are not contracts that are unique to specific infrastructure services or program delivery. You would know that on the other side of the chamber, because back in 2019 there was in fact an allocation of $330,000 in today’s money to refurbish offices for the opposition. So this is one of those things where it is not an uncommon process to, in setting up modern offices, have a range of amenities provided as part of those offices, and the expenditure is in line with that of other government agencies.

Let me also be really clear: it is my expectation that we are delivering value for taxpayers money. This is where, in the context of this particular project, Mr Mulholland, we are delivering value for taxpayers money. We are delivering a project that is on time and on budget. We are delivering a project that you will axe. We are delivering thousands of jobs that you will cut.

Members interjecting.

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, again on relevance, the minister has not gone near the question.

The PRESIDENT: From what I could hear, I believe the minister was being relevant. People ask questions and then their buddies all start yelling and I cannot hear the minister. I was waiting for the point of order about relevance, because it was pretty hard for me to decide. But I will ask the minister to continue.

Harriet SHING: As I was saying, there would be no greater waste of money – perhaps other than, I do not know, large-scale printing contracts that are run out without the appropriate authorisation – than for you to scrap the Suburban Rail Loop. That is exactly what you are saying you will do. We are delivering Australia’s largest housing and transport infrastructure project.

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, on relevance, I did not ask about those matters. I asked about how many indoor plants that amount of money gets you.

The PRESIDENT: The minister has got 5 seconds if she wants to use them.

Harriet SHING: The contract was subject to a competitive tender process in line with established protocols.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:25): Does the minister believe that spending almost $200,000 on office plants represents value for money for Victorian taxpayers?

The PRESIDENT: I think it is asking for an opinion. I am happy for Mr Mulholland to rephrase that rather than asking for an opinion.

Evan MULHOLLAND: Is it government policy that spending almost $200,000 on indoor office plants represents value for money?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:25): Mr Mulholland, I answered this in my substantive answer. It is my expectation that we are delivering value for the allocation and the use of taxpayer funds in the same way that it is my expectation that we would not see misuse of taxpayer dollars, for example, by inappropriately using office funds for other purposes entirely unrelated to the primary purpose of an elected position – not that I am making any comment on that particular matter or any other particular matter that might arise –

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, on relevance, the minister said it was her expectation that these kinds of contracts are value for money. That was not the question. It was whether it was government policy that $200,000 on indoor plants represents taxpayer value for money.

The PRESIDENT: At the start, the minister stated that she relied on her substantive answer, so that is an answer.

Harriet SHING: It is my expectation that funding is allocated for the purpose for which it is intended, that it is not misused, that it is not misappropriated, that it is delivered in line with established processes. Mr Mulholland, the figure outlined on the Buying for Victoria website represents the total contract value but not the expenditure to date. So let us be really, really clear on that, let us be really clear on appropriate use of resourcing, Mr Mulholland, and let us continue the conversation from here about what that looks like.