Northern Victoria Region
Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (14:17): My question is to the Minister for Small Business. I spoke to small business owners who are beyond exhausted and worried about the direction this government is taking, which has seen Victoria’s debt skyrocket. It has gone from $22 billion in 2014, when Liberals and Nationals were in government, to nearly $188 billion in 10 years under Labor. Vital taxpayer funds are being used to pay over $1 million every hour in interest instead of the services our growing state needs. After the release of the Auditor-General’s annual financial report, the Australian Industry Group in Victoria said it served as a warning about the cost of mismanaging the economy, which has already depressed business investment in the state. A Bendigo business owner recently told me that Victoria is now a no-go zone that has seen many local business owners sell or leave the state. Small businesses provide jobs, contribute to revenue and deliver services in rural and regional communities. But in the last year over 150,000 small businesses have closed their doors in Victoria. What action is the Allan Labor government taking to reverse this trend?
The ACTING PRESIDENT (John Berger): We have reached our total of 15. However, in the spirit of Christmas I will grant two more.