MINISTERS STATEMENTS: STATE OF THE STATES REPORT

Mr PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (11:20:38): I rise to update the house on Victoria’s stellar economic performance and the latest CommSec State of the States report. Well, we have done it again—coming out as the top-performing state economy for the sixth straight quarter. We lead overall on economic growth; we lead overall on retail trade, on the jobs market and on construction work done. Like the Rolling Stones, we just keep getting better and better with the years. When the member for Malvern was Treasurer, Victoria was ranked fifth in the State of the States report. Youth unemployment was at a 15-year high and overall unemployment peaked at 7 per cent. Victorians know of course that the member for Malvern is not the best with numbers, delivering Victoria’s only deficit in 20 years. Apparently he cannot even count above 11 in his own party room. But as Mick Jagger says, ‘You can’t always get what you want’. Meanwhile, the latest investment monitor report from Deloitte Access Economics, out today, gives me satisfaction, confirming that our record pipeline of infrastructure investment is driving economic activity and supporting business investment. The total value of Victoria’s infrastructure projects rose to $120 billion in the quarter. Public investment projects make up two‑thirds of these investments. If this government is like the Rolling Stones, then the opposition are like Spinal Tap without the spine. If the rumours are true, the member for Malvern is living in a crossfire hurricane, and he certainly will not have— Mr Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, I ask you to get the Treasurer to actually conduct himself within the proper forms of the house when he delivers a ministers statement. There is a place for a little bit of comedy in this place, but I think the Treasurer has overstepped that mark and it is no longer funny. It is actually very, very sad that someone who thinks he is purporting to put good news forward has to do it in such a format, and I ask you to bring him back to the proper format of the house, please. The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order, but I do ask the Treasurer not to use his statement as an opportunity to attack the opposition. Mr PALLAS: The government is ensuring that the economy of this great state leads the nation in delivering more jobs, more investment and more infrastructure than ever. ‘It’s a gas, gas, gas’.