Tuesday, 2 June 2026

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (22:46): (2542) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Treasurer. The action I seek is for the Allan Labor government to introduce taxes on big banks and corporations to pay for the services that everyday Victorians need and deserve. This week, on Sunday 31 May, free public transport across Victoria ended for almost 7 million Victorians. Did it really have to, though? It has been well documented during this period of free public transport in April and May that patronage and ridership has surged. An article by the University of Melbourne shows that 78 per cent of people agree that free public transport is popular, especially with the rising cost of living, rising costs of housing and fuel costs.

The Greens want to make public transport free and frequent permanently, and we want to do this by taxing the ultrarich corporations raking in their billions. We are talking about the wealthiest businesses in the country: the big four banks, the coal and gas giants and the gambling industry. Together they have raked in billions of dollars in pure profit in just the last year alone. For too long this Allan Labor government and other major political parties have let the rich get richer while everyday Victorians are getting left behind, not just in financial terms but in health outcomes and in opportunities to thrive and prosper. People are having to forgo so much in order to pay more for rent, more for groceries, more for their power bills and more just to survive, with so many thinking twice before filling up the car, buying fresh food or turning on the heater now that winter is upon us. It is about time big businesses pay their fair share. Treasurer, you and your Labor government can make this happen.