Wednesday, 19 March 2025

Construction industry

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is to the Premier. With $50 billion in cost blowouts on government projects, how much of this has been caused by the funnelling of taxpayer funds to organised crime?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:33): There are a number of allegations that were made in the Leader of the Opposition’s question. Consistent with my answer to previous questions, I would suggest if the Leader of the Opposition has any allegations to make he refers them to Victoria Police, because I have zero tolerance for any criminal behaviour on worksites. As I have demonstrated in an answer to a previous question in this place, I have outlined the range of actions that we are taking here in Victoria to support the work –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Frankston can leave the chamber for half an hour. The member for Tarneit can leave the chamber for an hour and a half.

Members for Frankston and Tarneit withdrew from chamber.

Bridget Vallence: Speaker, on a point of order, the Premier is clearly debating the question. The question was narrow – about taxpayer funds being funnelled to organised crime – and I would have thought the Premier would want to actually find that out.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was not debating the question. I cannot tell the Premier how to answer the question. She was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: In addition to those actions that we are taking, in addition to the work of the federal government administrator that has been appointed to deal with what has elements of a rotten culture – we strongly support the actions of the administrator – I do make this point to workers across all of our construction sites, whether they be government –

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance, this is a very clear question. There has been $50 billion of cost blowouts by this government, and we want to know how much of that has gone to organised crime via the syndicates that they have effectively endorsed.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you not to use a point of order to make a statement to the house.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, on the point of order, I was going to make the same point. The Leader of the Opposition should know that he is not to use a point of order to either make a statement or re-ask the question.

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

Jacinta ALLAN: I was referring to, whether they be government construction worksites or indeed all construction worksites across this state, workers on these sites deserving the best of union representation. They work in difficult and dangerous conditions. They do not deserve the sorts of elements of the rotten culture that has been exposed that we are working with the federal government to crack down on and in support of Victoria Police.

Bridget Vallence: On a further point of order, Speaker, they do not deserve unions that have been infiltrated by organised crime. On relevance, I would ask you to ask the Premier to come back to the very narrow question about taxpayer money going to organised crime on government worksites.

The SPEAKER: Member for Evelyn, I ask you to be succinct in your points of order.

Ben Carroll: On the point of order, Speaker, I seek your advice. Page 132, Rulings from the Chair:

If points of order are out of order. Where a member disregards that continuously, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker may suspend the member from the chamber under SO 124.

That was a ruling by Speaker Smith back in 2013. I seek your advice on the constant disruptions that are coming from the member for Evelyn.

The SPEAKER: A point of order is not an opportunity to ask the Chair about their rulings. You can come and see me in my office if you wish to address that. Member for Evelyn, I ask you not to raise any further frivolous points of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: I was making this point because I will not have good, hardworking union members being demonised by those opposite. They deserve the best of union representation.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Eureka!

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in her answer the Premier must be factual when she is answering. We are not talking about the workers on the site; we are talking about the ones that get $11,000 a week for not showing up to work.

Members interjecting.

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

Member for Eureka withdrew from chamber.

The SPEAKER: It is not for the Chair to determine whether a member is being factual. There is an expectation that members are factual.

Jacinta ALLAN: Like the member for Hawthorn, I was at work last week. We were working hard.

Brad Battin interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: Go on. Go and say that outside.

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition will come to order.

Jacinta ALLAN: I was making the point about workers on worksites because we know that those opposite would not have any workers on government worksites, because they do not believe in investing in the projects that we are supporting right now across this state.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is making baseless accusations and using her time to attack the opposition. I would ask you to ask the Premier to desist from doing so.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Premier has concluded her answer.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): Will the Premier now order a royal commission, or is the Premier going to remain silent as taxpayer money continues to be funnelled into organised crime here in Victoria?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:40): I think I have proved the second part of the Leader of the Opposition’s question to be a false claim. I most certainly have not remained silent. I have outlined to the house today and I have outlined over the course of this week and over the course of the past year the actions that we have taken. In terms of the claims around a royal commission, let us be clear: there was a royal commission in this country, and it resulted in five failed criminal prosecutions despite two years of work. I am more focused on taking action now – not going on leave, not going on holidays and not telling anyone about it, taking action now.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question was very narrow: will the Premier order a royal commission?

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. The Premier has concluded her answer.