Thursday, 17 October 2024

Questions without notice and ministers statements

State forest access

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. In August the Premier said:

… I will never put a padlock on our public forest. It’s not who I am … it’s not what I believe.

But on Tuesday the government stated it will introduce legislation next month to convert two state forests into national parks. Why is the Labor Party padlocking our state forests?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:03): I am absolutely delighted to answer this question from the member for Brighton, because it is a bit of a pattern that has emerged this week. If those opposite were not so focused on court cases and affidavits –

John Pesutto interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: Court cases? I can keep saying it: court cases, witness box, court case, witness box.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the only person who has been caught is the Premier.

Ben Carroll: On the point of order, Speaker, also on relevance, the preamble of the question mentioned padlocks, and the Premier was right to go to court cases.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! When the house comes to order I will ask the Premier to come back to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: The reason why I was referring to some of those opposite who have been distracted on other matters is because I want to take the clock back to 2019, and do you know what happened in 2019? Maybe the member for Brighton was off doing other business. Maybe he was having a bit of a dream about his future – who knows. But what was happening in 2019 was of course that VEAC, the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council, was undertaking a public process, and maybe the member for Brighton missed that. Maybe he missed that while he was busy doing other things. That 2019 process was an extensive process – a lot of consultation. The reason why I know this is because parts of my community were also under investigation as part of that process. There were public forums and submissions were called for, and then in 2021 that process concluded and provided the details that form the basis of the legislation that is coming into the Parliament. Do you know what is part of that legislation, because there was that extensive process, because we listened to all parts of the community? I know those opposite have a problem –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: Well, Leader of the National Party, I really should come and talk to you about what the Liberals think about, because I know you are finding it hard this week as well.

What came from the conclusion of that process is that outdoor recreation activities will still happen in these new parks. We did that. That is because we undertook a process and understood that Victoria has a fantastic great outdoors. Yes, we want to preserve and protect those elements that should be preserved and protected, but still activities like horseriding and dog walking –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this question was about the Julia Gillard-style broken promise.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. Manager of Opposition Business, I ask you to raise your points of order in the appropriate manner.

Jacinta ALLAN: In case the member for Brighton is concerned, seasonal hunting will still be allowed in the Wombat–Lerderderg National Park. I know that is not an activity you support, but this is a consequence of listening to the community and absolutely recognising that our great outdoors should be loved by all Victorians.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask members to cease interjecting over the top of members on their feet.

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:08): Why has the Premier said one thing in regional Victoria and another in inner-city Melbourne?

The SPEAKER: I ask the member for Brighton to rephrase his question so it is actually relevant to the primary question.

James NEWBURY: When it comes to the Premier’s broken national park promise, why has the Premier said one thing in regional Victoria and another in inner-city Melbourne?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:09): Again, you just cannot trust a word that comes from those opposite, can you.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: I will not tolerate this level of interjection.

Jacinta ALLAN: We know they do not trust each other. We have seen that play out for week upon week. But it gets even worse than that –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Rowville is warned.

Kim Wells interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Rowville, are you reflecting on the Chair?

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

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

Jacinta ALLAN: I have just made it clear, in my previous answer, that all the activities that will be able to be continued demonstrate that Victorians can continue to enjoy the great outdoors. What is also clear from this line of questioning is that you cannot trust those opposite to say the truth in this house and to say the truth to Victorians, and they most certainly do not trust each other.