Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:42): (1276) My question is to the Treasurer. The Victorian Auditor-General has just confirmed that 259,000 invoices sent to the Victorian government, valued at just under $3 million, were paid late during 2024–25. Minister, why can’t your government pay its bills on time?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:42): I thank Mrs McArthur for her question. Mrs McArthur, which report are you referring to? Sorry, I missed the start of your question.

Bev McArthur: The Auditor-General’s report that was tabled.

Jaclyn SYMES: Today? I will have to have a look at the report tabled today and confirm the details that you have put to me. I have not had a chance to be briefed on the report that was tabled today. Also, when we talk about financial payments, that is generally a matter for the Minister for Finance, not the Treasurer, as you would appreciate. I am continuing to get questions for matters that are for other ministers. I am always happy to help. I am actually not sure if I am always happy, but I always appear to be willing to help facilitate misdirected questions. But I can confirm, with the information that I have at hand, that I have been asked about a report that was tabled today and I have not had a briefing on that report, which would also show you that I am not the relevant minister.

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:44): Thank you, Treasurer. You are in charge of the exchequer, I thought. Under the government’s fair payments policy, businesses that are not paid on time are entitled to penalty interest. How much penalty interest has been paid relating to these more than a quarter of a million late invoices, remembering you would have authorised for this report to be tabled?

The PRESIDENT: The issue here is about a supplementary question when a minister or, in this case, the Treasurer has answered that it is not under her remit. In line with the minister’s previous answer, I will call her to answer as she sees fit.

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:45): As I indicated in my answer to your substantive question – when I was asked, through an interjection, ‘Were you briefed on the report?’ – no, I was not, which would probably imply that I am not the relevant minister, because the relevant ministers for VAGO reports are briefed ahead of them being tabled. But further to your question, it was also a concerning feature of Ms Bath’s question, who asked if I would direct the valuer-general and if I would direct the SRO. You are saying, ‘Would you direct the Auditor-General on when they can table and cannot table a report?’ The Auditor-General is an independent officer, who tables his reports in the Parliament when he sees fit.

Bev McArthur: On a point of order, President – Minister, you are the Treasurer. You are responsible for the money being expended by your government. Do you not agree that you should pay your bills on time? Do you pay the penalty interest, and how much is it?

The PRESIDENT: That is not a point of order.

Bev McArthur: It was a very good question.

The PRESIDENT: Even if it was a question, you only get to ask one.

Jaclyn SYMES: Mrs McArthur, DTF were not examined in that report, therefore I was not briefed prior to it being tabled. I am sure I will have an opportunity to go and get briefed on it, but I do need to repeat for the clarity of the house that, as Treasurer, I do not authorise the Auditor-General on when he can and cannot table reports. It is terrifying that the opposition continue to think that with the exercising of powers that is how it should be done.