Mr Pallas (Treasurer) — I rise to inform the house about the actions of the Andrews government in the Latrobe Valley following the announcement of the impending closure of the Hazelwood power plant. On Friday the government announced that our Back to Work scheme will be reopened for the hiring of workers in the Latrobe Valley….

Mr PALLAS— Yes, Speaker. We have heard much from those opposite about the jobs that are being lost of course in the Latrobe Valley and the jobs that this government is committed to working towards sustaining in the long term, jobs that that community ultimately needs. But let us not forget that 10 000 workers lost their jobs when those opposite were last in government — 10 000 workers in the Latrobe Valley, while they were out there talking up their capacity to create jobs.

As part of our $266 million Latrobe Valley package, $50 million will be provided as incentives to companies that are actually looking to start or to expand their businesses. That is not all of course. As a government we recognise that these challenges are substantial. They need a government that will actually stand with them and provide real solutions, not talk up the creation of 3000 jobs — as the former Treasurer, the former member for Malvern, did when he was last in government — for the Latrobe Valley. And how many jobs were lost in the Latrobe Valley when they were last in government? Ten thousand jobs they lost — 10 000 jobs. Pathetic.