Tuesday, 18 March 2025

Health workforce

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:37): (851) My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, given the government has committed wage theft on a massive scale, affecting thousands of junior doctors working unpaid overtime in Victorian public hospitals over the last decade, and is required to pay $175 million in settlement to these doctors, plus the dire state of Victoria’s budget, will a Treasurer’s advance be required?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:37): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. As you are aware, there are issues, not just in Victoria but also in other states, in relation to junior doctors and the expectations of unpaid wages that have been subject to legal discussions. I am not the lead minister for these discussions. You would appreciate the Department of Health and the Minister for Health have led those –

Georgie Crozier: It is $175 million of taxpayers money, Treasurer. You are the Treasurer.

Jaclyn SYMES: It goes to the very point of the previous conversations we have had that just the fact that there are dollars connected to most things in government does not mean that I am the responsible minister. In relation to the legal discussions that have occurred, they have not been conducted by the Treasurer, they have been conducted by the Department of Health. I am trying to be helpful in relation to confirming that those discussions have been undertaken, but I have not got responsibility for that legal negotiation in any way.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:39): Treasurer, you are responsible for the taxpayer’s money. You are responsible for overseeing the budget.

David Davis interjected.

Georgie CROZIER: The custodian; exactly, Mr Davis. This is a really important issue – $175 million and there will be legal costs associated with this. I will ask you, and if you cannot answer then I will ask you to refer it on to the responsible minister and get the answer for the house this week: how much taxpayers money has the government spent on legal costs for this class action?

The PRESIDENT: I think the issue I have is that when a minister says it is not her responsibility and it is the responsibility of another minister then a supplementary becomes very difficult. I will let the minister respond in her role as Treasurer. Whether or not she considers she will pass it on to another minister is up to her.

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:40): As you would appreciate, I am also slightly concerned about any legal privilege matters and not inadvertently swaying into any commentary that I should not, so how about I take on notice Ms Crozier’s question from the Treasury portfolio and see if there is anything I can provide that would be of assistance.