Thursday, 30 May 2024

Government performance

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:37): My question is to the Premier. This week the Deputy Premier claimed airport rail could be built at the same time as SRL East. The energy minister claimed there is no gas to be extracted in Victoria, but the Deputy Premier promoted its continued use. The secretary of DPC –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will be heard in silence.

John PESUTTO: This week the Deputy Premier claimed airport rail could be built at the same time as SRL East. The energy minister claimed there is no gas to be extracted in Victoria, but the Deputy Premier promoted its continued use. The secretary of DPC undermined the Premier on building 80,000 homes. How can Victorians trust that the Premier is the right person to lead in these times when her cabinet is at war with each other?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Sunbury can leave the chamber for half an hour. The member for Eureka can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Members for Sunbury and Eureka withdrew from chamber.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:38): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, and it is pretty clear that the member for Polwarth and the member for Croydon do not attend tactics committee. You would not have blessed that question; you are too busy writing a letter. You are getting your lawyers writing letters about the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition talks about listening to things that people say. I wonder what his colleagues opposite think when they listen to the Leader of the Opposition about his position on Moira Deeming? What do your colleagues think about that? I think what we are seeing is that the Leader of the Opposition has focused on how we are getting on with –

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, the question was directly about differences of policy between senior ministers in the government. Can I ask you to draw the Premier back to the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: I am delighted to share with the Leader of the Opposition differences of policy. We will not allow nuclear energy into this state. I can say that absolutely clearly to the Leader of the Opposition. I can also say this absolutely clearly to the Leader of the Opposition – he asked about building more homes in Victoria: we will not demonise migrants as we get on and build more homes, like the federal Liberal Party are. We have not heard any rebuke from the Leader of the Opposition on that one, now, have we? So we can only assume there is no difference of policy on that position between the federal and state Liberal Party leaders. I will also say this to the Leader of the Opposition: we absolutely have a difference of view with you –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on standing order 120, I personally find the Premier’s continuing reference to migrants offensive. As someone who is married to someone who came to this country, I find the continual attacks personally offensive.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: I will absolutely continue to stand up for migrants in this state. I will not accept the crocodile tears from the member for Brighton or the Leader of the Opposition, because we are standing with and supporting our migrant communities.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on standing order 120, the Premier has for a second time directly referred to me. I found the comment the Premier just made personally offensive. Three times this week I have raised standing order 120. I would say, as the Premier has referred to me directly, clearly I am entitled to find that personally offensive.

The SPEAKER: Just for clarification, member for Brighton, are you seeking a withdrawal?

James Newbury: Absolutely.

The SPEAKER: Then you need to state that in your point of order. I ask the Premier to withdraw.

Jacinta ALLAN: I withdraw, but I will not withdraw from standing up for migrants in this state.

The SPEAKER: Without clarification.

Jacinta ALLAN: I will not withdraw from standing up for –

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has been asked to withdraw unconditionally.

Jacinta ALLAN: And I did; I withdraw. And I will go on with answering the Leader of the Opposition’s question.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier did not do so unconditionally.

The SPEAKER: I believe the Premier did withdraw and went on to complete her answer.

Jacinta ALLAN: I will continue to support Victoria as a state that is welcoming of migrants. We will not use migrants, demonise migrants, as a reason why we have challenges with housing affordability and availability, as we are seeing out of the Liberal Party in Canberra. That is what we are seeing out of Canberra. We are also seeing the Liberal Party want to bring nuclear energy to Victoria. We also know the question was about differences of opinion and differences on policy. It is only we in the Labor government who are fully committed to supporting treaty in this state. The Leader of the Opposition cannot say that and the Leader of the National Party cannot say that, because again they are choosing to go down a path of division. That is all we have. The Leader of the Opposition wants to talk about division. He wants to drive division in our migrant communities, division in our First Peoples communities, division on energy policy –

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, we are not going to take lectures from a party that uses migrant communities for branch-stacking purposes. Let me make it clear –

The SPEAKER: Order! What is your point of order?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, are you showing contempt to the Speaker?

John Pesutto: Of course not, Speaker.

The SPEAKER: If members wish to raise points of order, they will do so appropriately. That was not a point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: Finally, questions on division from the Leader of the Opposition come from a fundamental position of weakness reflecting the deep divisions among the people who sit behind him.

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded her answer.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): Given the Deputy Premier is at odds with the Minister for Transport Infrastructure and the Minister for Energy and Resources, does the Premier have full confidence in the Deputy Premier?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:46): The answer is yes. The real question is: what does the member for Polwarth have to think about the Leader of the Opposition – or the member for Croydon or the member for Rowville?

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to come back to the question. The Premier has concluded her answer.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Berwick can leave the chamber for half an hour. Off you go.

Member for Berwick withdrew from chamber.