Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:13): (1351) My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, your South Australian Labor counterpart just handed down his state budget announcing a public sector hiring freeze – I think I have heard that before – to create, in his words, ‘a public sector that is lean and fit and not competing with the private sector’. He also warned that South Australia is not Victoria. Will you explain why a Labor Treasurer in a neighbouring state is using Victoria as a byword for financial mismanagement?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: I do not know if the Treasurer heard the question. Can you just ask the question again, please.

Evan MULHOLLAND: As I said, the South Australian Treasurer also warned that South Australia is not Victoria. Will you explain why a Labor Treasurer in a neighbouring state is using Victoria as a byword for financial mismanagement?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:14): Mr Mulholland, I can tell you what I reckon: South Australia would like to have our economy – the Victorian economy, worth about $600 billion a year, growing faster than any other state. We are the state that has more business growth than anybody else, with 123,000 new businesses since June 2020 – that is net new businesses – more job creation than any other state, high participation rates and an economy that continues to grow despite the challenges that have been put at us. In relation to other states and their commentary, as I said, any other state would welcome the Victorian economy and its strengths.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:15): Given that Labor governments in both South Australia and New South Wales are distancing themselves from Victoria’s economic trajectory, why won’t the Treasurer finally admit that the government’s financial management has been a failure?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:15): All right, Mr Mulholland, I think I did this in a minister’s statement last week, but you might have missed it. Victoria has added 123,000 new businesses since June 2020. Business investment in the March quarter was up nearly 8 per cent and around 15 per cent over the year, the fastest yearly growth in five years. Since 2020 Victorian business investment has risen by 55 per cent, Mr Mulholland, compared with 37 per cent in the rest of the country – 55 versus 37. The Victorian economy created over 648,000 jobs, again, the highest compared to any other state or territory. Since last budget, participation rates are up and Victorian exports are up. We have lower wholesale energy prices than the rest of the country, and we are building more homes, more often, than any other state.