MINISTERS STATEMENTS: ECONOMY

Mr PALLAS (Treasurer) — I rise to inform the house of the acquittal of our commitment to create 100 000 full‑time jobs and the resurgent Victorian economy that has produced this result. The Andrews Labor government has delivered the highest annual full‑time jobs growth, the fastest growth in the nation and the highest consumer sentiment in the nation. We are in a state of momentum, but we must acknowledge that there are factors beyond the control of government that are contributing to our success, three most notably: the adjustment of the Australian dollar, the end of the mining boom and, more importantly of course, nobody has to listen to the member for Malvern anymore. The member for Malvern has now been the shadow Treasurer for five more days than he was Treasurer. It is timely to reflect on how the economy has performed in his absence.

The Victorian economy has performed in a miraculous way. Full‑time jobs growth is up 800 per cent, economic growth is two and a half times higher and side letter signing and craven betrayals of the Victorian people are down 100 per cent. It is clear that the less we have to hear about the economy from those opposite the better it does. But we are not resting on our laurels. We are making record investments in infrastructure, family violence prevention, education and health. The Herald Sun is doing its part by kindly pretending that the member for Malvern and the member for Rowville never existed. In fact they had to go back almost 20 years to find a conservative Treasurer they liked.