Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:05): (1285) My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, I ask: what advice, including advice on modelling, have you received as Treasurer about the impact of fuel shortages, both petrol and diesel, on the Victorian economy?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:05): I thank Mr Davis for his question. Of course, Mr Davis, this is a topic of conversation that is at every kitchen table and indeed in every cabinet committee that we are currently having. We know that the fuel crisis is hitting Victorians hard, and that is why we have made a number of announcements and are facilitating a number of further discussions, particularly in relation to measures that the federal government can take.

In relation to fuel cost implications and impacts on the state budget, in terms of other cost impacts, in terms of inflationary pressures, these are matters that are factored into the sensitivity analysis that goes into the preparation of the budget. As you would appreciate, the budget is in its final stages of being prepared for presentation to the Parliament next month. Of course these are factors that will be considered as part of the sensitivity analysis. This is not a new concept; we always factor in inflationary pressures, interest rate rises and other impacts on the broader economy that go to the preparation and delivery of the budget.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:06): Treasurer, I therefore ask: what advice have you received regarding the freight and logistics sector in light of the patchy supply of diesel and its impact on the Victorian economy?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:07): Mr Davis, all of these issues, as I said, have been canvassed in a number of ways with government. I would certainly point to the minister for freight, who is obviously taking a lead role in consultation with the freight and logistics sector, as would be appropriate, and feeding that information into the settings. In terms of the impact of all of these things on the economy, Mr Davis, these are things that we will watch, we will monitor, and we will –

David Davis: Have you had advice on that?

Jaclyn SYMES: These are conversations that I have every day, Mr Davis. It is not just a war that brings up these conversations. These are conversations that I have daily, weekly, with the Department of Treasury and Finance, and ministers in their portfolio responsibilities feed in all of that intel – a direct impact, a medium impact and the tail impact of things that we will continue to monitor, and we will adjust our settings as appropriate.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:08):

That the minister’s answer be taken into account on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.