Thursday, 17 October 2024

Melbourne Market

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:13): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Vince of Prestige Produce is a fourth-generation trader at the Melbourne Market. If the minister had visited Melbourne Market with me instead of mocking, she would have heard Vince say –

Members interjecting.

Emma KEALY: The respect for women appears to only be during ministers statements.

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the House! Premier! Members, it is not okay to be disruptive in the house. I ask you to come to order. The member for Lowan without assistance.

Emma KEALY: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier just referred to me as ‘sweetie’, which I find very offensive. I find it very offensive and demeaning. I ask her to withdraw.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will withdraw.

Jacinta Allan: I withdraw.

Emma KEALY: My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Vince of Prestige –

Members interjecting.

Emma KEALY: Speaker, please.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lowan, can you please state your question.

Emma KEALY: I will, without interruption. I would like to talk without interruption, like every other person gets to.

The SPEAKER: I am the Chair; you are not the Chair. I ask you to state your question.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Members will come to order.

Emma KEALY: My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Vince of Prestige Produce is a fourth-generation trader at the Melbourne Market. If the minister had visited Melbourne Market with me instead of mocking, she would have heard Vince say:

To continue to do business on this site will be very difficult. It would be a shame for the government if we all leave.

Why is the government driving traders out of the Melbourne Market by doubling their rent?

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (14:15): I thank the member for her question. I understand that she had a very good visit out at the market today, and that is great to hear. Thank you for passing back Vince’s concerns. I will refer the member to my answer to a very similar question yesterday, and that is that the market rents have been below market rate for 10 years. They will remain below market rate for another 10 years, and the MMA has taken the advice of the valuer-general.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:16): On Friday 11 October the Premier told the media that since relocating to Epping in 2015 rents for the market have not increased, but traders say their rents have soared by almost 50 per cent since 2015. Who is right, the traders or the Premier?

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (14:17): Again I thank the member for her question. I will refer her to my previous answers. The rents have been below market rate for 10 years, and they will remain below market rate for the next 10 years.

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, the question was specific to information the Premier has provided to the community, which the traders feel quite betrayed about because it is quite different to their experience. I ask the minister to clarify which is correct. It is a much different question than that put earlier today in the substantive and much different –

The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?

Emma Kealy: On relevance – that she has not been relevant to the question.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. I ask you to state your point of order at the commencement of your point of order. It is not an opportunity to make a statement to the house. The minister was being relevant to the question. The minister has concluded her answer.