Wednesday, 29 July 2026

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:41): It is a good opportunity to talk about something I am sure no-one will have an issue with. I think everybody would be quite excited to hear about the investments in the City of Ballarat. Ballarat, as we know, is one of the great regional success stories. It is a city that is growing rapidly, backed by more than $1.1 billion in government investments since we were elected. We have invested in transformative projects like the base hospital, the GovHub, the station precinct redevelopment and the employment zone. It is our investment that is building the critical community services that make this city thrive, both now and into the future.

But it is not just about building the big things; it is also about providing for the small things that make life better, a bit easier and sometimes a bit fun. Last week I joined the member for Wendouree Juliana Addison to announce successful Ballarat projects under round 2 of Pick My Park. Open space in Havelock Street will be transformed into a new local park, with paths creating a welcoming green space for residents and visitors. The Hill Street reserve will be upgraded with new seating and shade, and a new Parks Victoria trail head in Mount Clear will build on our earlier investment in the trail loop, improving access and helping more people access this natural asset.

When families are juggling work, school, bills –

Nick McGowan: On a point of order, President, ministers statements are an opportunity for ministers to provide statements in respect of their portfolios. This is in respect to the environment portfolio, it is not in respect to the minister’s portfolio – unless the minister, as Treasurer, wants to open that up to every question on every portfolio.

Harriet Shing: Further to the point of order, President, what a shame that Mr McGowan, whilst looking at props, has not bothered to read the general order, which refers to Development Victoria sitting with the minister for Development Victoria – who sits right here as Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts – which has carriage of the program being referred to, Mr McGowan.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: I will rule on the points of order. The standing orders say that a minister can make a statement, and there is nothing else, so it does not really matter. The minister to continue – 50 seconds.

Jaclyn SYMES: Thank you, Mr McGowan. But you are right: I stick within my portfolio responsibilities when delivering ministers statements, despite the fact that you do not have to. But in this instance, the Pick My Park initiative is a responsibility of the Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts. It is a small component of the everyday work that I do, I appreciate that, but it is important and it can make a real difference to people’s lives. I probably do not get to parks as much as I would like to, but when I had little kids, that is the way you got through a weekend – wearing them out at a park. The fact that we have invested in improvements in Ballarat is something that I am very proud to have been a part of in my relatively new portfolio of precincts and Development Victoria.