Wednesday, 15 May 2024

Ministers statements: business support

Tim PALLAS (Werribee – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Economic Growth) (14:40): I am pleased to advise the house of the current situation in business creation and investment in the state of Victoria. You could almost believe, if you listened to the ill-informed commentary that seems to pervade those sides of this chamber, that business was going backwards. Nothing could be further from the truth. In Victoria we lead the nation in business investment growth. This was 13 per cent in Victoria last year, compared to 6 per cent for the rest of the nation. There were more startups in this state than in any other location, with 3400 of them compared to when we started in 2017 with the advent of LaunchVic. The most recent ABS stats demonstrate that we have 90,000 more businesses in Victoria now than we had at the start of 2021. That is more businesses created than in any other state. Little wonder, then, that this state has created more jobs than any other state since September 2020.

We have cut the payroll tax rate for regional businesses to one-quarter of the metro rate. We have undertaken landmark reform to abolish stamp duty on commercial and industrial property, and we are raising the payroll tax free threshold to $1 million so that 6000 small businesses no longer have to pay a cent of payroll tax, which, incidentally, those opposite voted against. The truth is that this government has put in place the conditions to ensure that 170,000 more businesses in this state can grow and we can ensure that those opposite – 170,000 businesses created by this government, but in their four years in government 11,000 businesses – (Time expired)

Jade Benham: On a point of order, Speaker, during debate earlier today the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, the member for Eltham, who I note is also not in the chamber now, made some comments that were extraordinarily inflammatory to me, to other members in this place, no doubt, and to other victims of family violence, notably:

Now, for those opposite, who barely come to an election with a family violence policy and who are barely able to articulate the ins and outs of family violence, to come into this place and lecture us and tell us that we are cutting when we are not is absolutely shameful and is disrespectful.

I will tell you what is disrespectful: in the last couple of weeks I have found my voice. I have been very public with my experience, giving voice to those who have not had a voice. For the minister to not be able to look me in the eye and also to walk out of the chamber while I was responding I find personally offensive, and now doing it again I find personally offensive. I seek an unreserved apology to me and to other victims and survivors of family violence.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Mildura. I will need to review the transcript and come back to the house on that matter.

Roma Britnell: On a point of order, Speaker, I raise for the Speaker’s attention that questions 531 and 413 are two questions that are still outstanding that I asked the Speaker to ask the Minister for Health and the Minister for Environment to respond to back in March. I once again ask you, Speaker, if you will follow that up for me. I would also like to bring to the Speaker’s attention that question 521 is outstanding as well, please.

The SPEAKER: Hand the list to the clerks, please, member for South-West Coast.

Sam Groth: On a point of order, Speaker, I have got an unanswered question, 548, for the Minister for Children in regard to Waterfall Gully kindergarten. If you could have that looked at, that would be appreciated.

Nicole Werner: On a point of order, Speaker, I would like to bring to the house’s attention constituency questions 484 and 568 and questions on notice 1124, 1126 and 1127. They are overdue for answers. I would ask for you to please help follow them up.