Thursday, 29 August 2024

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Suburban Rail Loop

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. When did the government hire lawyers to advise on altering Suburban Rail Loop contracts?

Members interjecting.

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

Member for Sunbury withdrew from chamber.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:04): I am delighted to confirm for the Leader of the Opposition that, yes, there are lawyers working on the Suburban Rail Loop, just as there are construction workers working on the Suburban Rail Loop and there are designers. There are a whole range of people working on delivering the Suburban Rail Loop.

Members interjecting.

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

Member for Lara withdrew from chamber.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the Premier is being evasive. The question specifically asked about altering the contract.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: When you deliver important and transformational projects like the Suburban Rail Loop, you need a team of people to work on the delivery of these projects, to do a whole range of tasks. By 2026 there will be 4000 people working on the Suburban Rail Loop, and there will probably be a few lawyers in that mix.

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, we just want a straight answer from the Premier. Has the government engaged lawyers to alter Suburban Rail Loop East contracts?

The SPEAKER: Points of order are not an opportunity to ask a question again.

James Newbury: Further to the point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be direct. Clearly the Premier is being evasive in not answering the question. The Premier is required to be direct in answering the question.

The SPEAKER: I cannot direct or compel the Premier how to answer the question, but the Premier was being relevant in relation to the question that was asked in relation to government hiring lawyers.

Jacinta ALLAN: Of course we are not the only one in town hiring lawyers at the moment. There is a lot of activity.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Minister for Transport Infrastructure, this is a warning.

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, this is the largest infrastructure project in Australia’s history by way of blowouts. We are asking serious questions about the engagement of lawyers to alter those contracts. The Premier is mocking this chamber and mocking the purpose of this Parliament. Can the Premier just for once provide a straight answer?

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition can raise a point of order in the way of the form of a point of order. That was not the way to raise a point of order. The Premier to come back to answering the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: In terms of delivering the Suburban Rail Loop, we are absolutely engaging a whole range of Victorians to get on and deliver this transformational project.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): The Premier hid the fact that she secretly talked with lawyers before cancelling the Commonwealth Games and hid the latest negotiations about the Metro Tunnel blowout. Why is the Premier again hiding the fact that she has sought legal advice, this time on the Suburban Rail Loop East project?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:08): The Leader of the Opposition finished his question referring to an allegation that I had hidden the fact that we had engaged lawyers to work with us on the Suburban Rail Loop project. I answered that in your very first question. I said in the answer to your substantive question that, yes, we had lawyers working with us on the delivery of the Suburban Rail Loop project. We absolutely do because we are determined to get on and deliver this project, with the thousands of jobs it will support, the delivery of better public transport, the cars it will take off local roads and the homes it will deliver in local communities. I will take my direction from –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, previous Speakers have made it very, very clear that answers have to respond to the substance of a question, not generally. The Premier is abusing this place.

The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?

James Newbury: Relevance. The Premier is not dealing with the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. The Premier has been very clear and direct in answer to both the substantive and this supplementary question. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order.

The SPEAKER: I believe the Premier was being relevant to the question in that it was about seeking legal advice on the Suburban Rail Loop East project. The Premier has concluded her answer.