Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:32): (1170) My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. The Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund has not been open for applications since 2022. Why does the Allan Labor government keep it on the RDV website when it has no money left?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:32): I thank Ms Bath for her question and the opportunity to talk about the investment in regional Victoria and in particular the support for businesses, because I think that is where you are wanting to go with your question. In relation to the latest budget there was an announcement of the VIF, which has a regional stream and which might be something that you would be interested in looking at. I would actually really welcome any suggestions of businesses that you might want to connect in with RDV to access that dedicated regional stream, because that is all about ensuring that businesses are supported to employ more people in regional Victoria. It is basically a job creation stream. It is supporting existing businesses to expand, introduce new lines and introduce export lines et cetera. RDV work hand in glove with these businesses to ensure that they can invest their own money with the confidence and support of the state government to ensure that there is leverage funding from us and other supports to ensure that they can grow and, as I said, invest and grow jobs.

Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, the minister has not actually answered the question that I put, which was: why does the Allan government keep a non-functioning grant fund on the website, in effect misleading the Victorian population because there is no money left in it?

The PRESIDENT: I will consider your point of order at the end of question time in terms of responses.

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:34): Regional Development Victoria’s annual report shows grant expenditure has fallen from $370 million four years ago to just $118 million last year, a 70 per cent drop. Why is the Allan government doing less to support jobs and investment in regional Victoria?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:35): Ms Bath, at the risk of creating work for my office, I think I would be well placed to commit to giving you some information offline, because there are a range of projects that are being delivered under RJIF and I can provide you with details of those. But this is not the only investment in regional Victoria – $47 billion of investment since we came to government through a range of –

Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, it was a question about Regional Development Victoria in her portfolio; it is not expansive. It is about a 70 per cent cut – a 70 per cent drop – in the grants.

The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister was relevant to the question.

Jaclyn SYMES: Ms Bath, what I am concerned about in your line of questioning is your lack of knowledge of the funding streams that are supporting regional development. There are projects under RJIF. We have got the $2 billion regional package that was initiated under the former minister and that is still rolling out through RDV. I just took you through the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund. In particular I think what you would benefit from, and I would like all country members to know about it, is the dedicated stream under the Victorian Investment Fund, which has $50 million for regional businesses. I would really encourage you to get familiar with that so you can talk to your local businesses – (Time expired)