Wednesday, 4 August 2021

Ballarat car parking

Ms STALEY (Ripon) (19:06): (5963) My adjournment is to the Premier. The action I seek is that he explain why he has broken his promise to the Ballarat community by not delivering the 900 car parks he promised prior to the last election. On 14 November 2018 the Premier put out a media release which said ‘only Labor will build 1,000 extra free car parks across Ballarat CBD’. This was a clear election promise by the government made just before the 2018 election, and what we found last week was in fact we are not getting 1000 new car parks in this term, we are getting 100 free car park spaces, and then there is going to be a study for the rest; it is clear that they will not be constructed before the 2023 election. So despite the very release that the Premier put out saying that only Labor would deliver 1000 car parks for Ballarat, they are now admitting it is only 100. It is only 100, and the other 900 are for the next term—if they ever make the next term. It is all in the never-never.

It is like the Maryborough hospital—not getting it this term, getting it next term. Really clever—put out a press release two weeks before an election but do not deliver, and then through the term you sneak out another press release and send out the hapless member for Wendouree to say, ‘We’re only doing 100. We’re not doing 1000, we’re only doing 100, and we’ve got to consult. We’ve got to talk to the community for the rest, because it was a thought bubble. We never had sites for the 1000. We never knew where they were going’. In fact I quote the member for Wendouree, who said finding 1000 free car park locations in central Ballarat was ‘challenging’. They did not know where they were. It was just a media release prior to the last election. They were out there trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the Ballarat community. They were never, ever going to deliver those car parks in this term. It was never for this term. It was yet another election stunt by this Premier, who misleads and takes on the Ballarat community and then does not deliver.

Members interjecting.

Ms STALEY: I mean, let us talk about the hospital promise—big money there. I do not see that being delivered either. And I notice that the other side is in full voice—full voice. They do not like hearing the truth about their broken promises, their constant broken promises. This is not a government that is delivering for Ballarat, and this is further evidence that they will say one thing before an election and then do something completely different afterwards.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! In seeking clarification from the Clerk, the member for Ripon’s adjournment matter does not constitute an action, and therefore it will be—

Ms STALEY: I asked for an explanation.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is not an action. It does not constitute an action, so the member for Ripon’s adjournment is not allowable.

Mr Wynne: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker—I promised I would be disciplined tonight—do we want to give the member for Ripon another go at it? What do you reckon? Dear oh dear. Really? You are going to talk about car parks—are you serious? Car parks, with your federal colleagues, with all of this rorting going on. What is going on here, member for Ripon?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Ripon, you may do so by leave if you wish.

Ms STALEY: Yes. Okay.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You need to ask for leave. Minister, is leave granted?

Mr Wynne: Oh, look, Deputy Speaker, I mean, on indulgence—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just a yes or no will suffice, Minister.

Mr Wynne: Well, I need to understand what the question is, Deputy Speaker.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is why the member for Ripon is asking for leave.

Mr Wynne: To do what though, Deputy Speaker?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: To reword her adjournment request.

Mr Wynne: In relation to this outrageous behaviour?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Is leave granted, Minister?

Mr Wynne: Well, reluctantly, I will say, Deputy Speaker, she can have a second go at it. We will see how she goes second time around.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Ripon, just repeat the action you are seeking, please.

Ms STALEY: Right. Thank you. My adjournment is to the Premier. The action I seek is that he come to Ballarat to explain why he has broken his promise to the Ballarat community and is not delivering the car parks that he promised prior to the election and is in fact only delivering one-tenth of the number.