Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:14): (1296) My question is for the Treasurer. Treasurer, I note yesterday’s implacable opposition by the Allan Labor government to any change on the GST collected –

A member interjected.

David DAVIS: Well, you were not going to do it yesterday. You were not going to do it –

A member interjected.

David DAVIS: The comments were not there. You were actually offside with New South Wales. New South Wales were going one way, you were going the other.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis, you are running out of time to ask your question.

David DAVIS: The obvious decision that people had made across the country was that the money should be returned to motorists. I therefore ask whether the backflip that has occurred to the New South Wales position is the result of calls from New South Wales officials or the federal government and whether you will be able to get an Olympic award for an unusual – (Time expired)

The PRESIDENT: There were a number of questions there. The minister can answer one as she sees fit.

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:15): Mr Davis, you are so off track in relation to the way you have tried to frame this question. At least you have acknowledged that you are aware of the Allan Labor government’s willingness –

Nick McGowan: You answered the question yesterday.

Jaclyn SYMES: I got asked yesterday about whether we would consider forgoing the windfall of GST, which we had already been on the public record saying that we were doing. Mr Davis, yes, of course first ministers met yesterday following a meeting of national cabinet in relation to GST.

David Davis interjected.

Jaclyn SYMES: I take issue with your interjections, Mr Davis. You are creating a narrative that has just not got any substance behind it. But rather than bickering with Mr Davis, I can make it very clear to the house, as I did yesterday, the Allan Labor government is doing everything it can to ensure that pressures are taken off those that are experiencing higher prices as a result of the fuel increases. That is why we have announced free public transport. It is being taken up, and it is resulting in mode shift, which means that we are having less demand at the pump.

In relation to supporting the federal government’s halving of the fuel excise, which will result in a reduction of around 26 cents per litre at the pump, as a result of productive conversations about what further measures we can take to reduce pressure on fuel prices, the state government has had those conversations with all of the first ministers and can confirm that we have agreed to forgo the windfall of GST, and that will be applied again at the bowser by a further reduction in excise, resulting in a further 6 cents.

Nick McGowan interjected.

Jaclyn SYMES: As I said yesterday, Mr McGowan, we have always been willing to acknowledge that a windfall from increased petrol prices should always be reinvested back into supporting motorists. That is exactly what we are doing, and I have just confirmed it. It has been a matter of 48 hours of ensuring how you could deliver that project. We in the Allan Labor government are very proud of the initiatives that we are taking to ensure that we can take pressure off hardworking Victorians, and we will continue to consider other initiatives going forward.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:18): My supplementary question to the Treasurer is: will the Treasurer tell the chamber how much GST windfall the Victorian government has already had collected on its behalf to date and whether that will be returned to Victorian motorists as well?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:18): Mr Davis, as I have confirmed in relation to conversations with the federal government and other states and territories, the GST windfall will be applied for further reductions – cents per litre – at the bowser. We have already ensured that we are spending money where it matters most. That is what we are spending. We are spending more than $70 million on free transport. An announcement of –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! It is problematic that a member of the coalition asked the Treasurer a question and then the coalition benches just about shouted her down to the point where I could not hear her. Spare me any points of order about relevance or anything like that, because I just cannot hear her. It is very problematic, and it is adversely affecting my quality of life, so I ask you to spare me and we can move on. I think the clock ran out while I was –

A member interjected.

The PRESIDENT: The minister has completed her answer.