Thursday, 4 May 2023

Transport infrastructure projects

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Yesterday in Parliament the minister failed to respond as to whether she would take any action to address coercive union tactics by the CFMEU against Indigenous firms on state transport infrastructure projects. Why is the minister turning a blind eye and refusing to condemn coercive union tactics by the CFMEU against Indigenous people on state transport infrastructure projects?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery) (14:30): Again, as the member has indicated in his question, this question and a couple of others, if I recall correctly, were asked on this matter yesterday. I disagree with the presentation from the member for Caulfield that those questions were not answered yesterday. They were answered yesterday. The member for Caulfield has not provided any new information or any new material in his questioning today, therefore I stand by my answer to yesterday’s question in answering today’s question.

But what I will reaffirm is that we are very, very proud on this side of the house of the work that we are doing, as part of our delivery of transport infrastructure, in supporting Victoria’s First Peoples to be able to get a job and supporting their businesses with our program. Because of the deliberate policy settings we have put in place, now more than 3 million hours have been worked by Indigenous people on our projects and more than $116 million has been invested in Indigenous owned and operated businesses.

The member for Murray Plains knows this very well because thanks to the work we did on delivering the Echuca–Moama bridge project, a project that I was pleased to see celebrated last night at the Australian construction awards, one of the reasons why it was celebrated last night was because of the way it supported local Indigenous people in the Echuca–Moama community and also meant that there were local Indigenous businesses that could not only get work on this project but be able to set up and go and bid for other work on other projects, because the Andrews Labor government has a pipeline of projects across the state. That is the work we are going to keep on doing, and that is why my answer to today’s question remains consistent with yesterday’s question.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The Assistant Treasurer can leave the chamber for 1 hour.

Assistant Treasurer withdrew from chamber.

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:32): What action is the minister now going to take against the CFMEU for the appalling coercive union tactics used against Indigenous people on state transport infrastructure projects? Do not just talk about it, let us see the minister do something about it.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery) (14:33): If the member for Caulfield – and I saw the Leader of the Opposition also make some comments about this matter last week – has got any evidence, provide it. If you have got any evidence of wrongdoing in terms of the question that was –

The SPEAKER: Through the Chair.

Jacinta ALLAN: Sorry, Speaker. If there is any evidence of wrongdoing, the member should provide it, and maybe they should provide it to the relevant authorities, because so far all those opposite have is a newspaper article. What they are trying to do is undermine the good work that is happening by Indigenous people to win Indigenous business on our program. On this side of the house we do not have to have a party room debate about whether or not we support Indigenous Victorians. We do not need to debate this on our side. They do, and we will continue to work to support Indigenous Victorians.