Thursday, 5 March 2026

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (10:05): The Victorian Auditor-General has recently released a report on the management of major taxpayer-funded projects in infrastructure. The report identified a total net cost increase of $11.3 billion – billion dollars – across 89 projects and combined project delays equivalent to more than 92 years. Forty projects have exceeded their original completion date, 13 began without an approved business case and five major projects increased their estimated costs without disclosure within the state budget papers. This money could have been better spent on fixing our roads, employing more nurses, employing teachers and police and providing essential health and education services. When billions of dollars blow out and basic transparency is missing, this government has lost the plot. It creates a perfect condition for waste, rorting and corruption. The Ombudsman has also made similar findings. The Nationals and the Liberals have put forward sensible legislation this week that would clean up CFMEU crime on construction sites and corruption in Victoria. Jacinta Allan has rejected these laws. The Nationals in government will enforce the law, find the money, stop the rorts, stop the corruption and give Victorians a fresh start.