MINISTERS STATEMENTS: FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

Mr PALLAS (Treasurer) (11:32:29) — It is my duty to update the house on the importance of ensuring that Victoria gets its fair share of funding from Canberra, and quite frankly the situation is nothing short of outrageous. Since we were elected, while those opposite have sat sheepishly and silently by, the Andrews government has campaigned to ensure that Victoria receives its fair share. On infrastructure funding, while New South Wales receives 45 per cent of national funding, this state receives less than 10 per cent. They are a government north of the Murray but south of integrity.

Six billion dollars on infrastructure funding —

Honourable members interjecting.

Mr PALLAS — There they are. They are arcing up in outrage but they are not outraged about the billions of dollars that have been lost by this state or the thousands of jobs that have been cost. Integrity comes at a price for those opposite, and they are not prepared to stand up for Victoria.

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER — Order! I cannot remember if the member for Hawthorn has been warned, but he is now.

Mr Clark — On a point of order, Speaker, the Treasurer is now departing from making a ministers statement and is debating the issue. I ask you to bring him back to compliance with sessional orders.

The SPEAKER — Order! The Treasurer had just departed from making a ministers statement. I ask him to come back.

Mr PALLAS — Thank you, Speaker. Of course the state of Victoria is losing something like $6 billion on infrastructure funding. That is short‑changing us. Do not get me started on education or health. It is why the federal government deserves no praise for the economic resurgence that is going on in this state, achieved exclusively by the hard work of this government and aided by the people and businesses of Victoria who are getting on and delivering. Those opposite deserve no praise for it or for the continued apologies for the last four years and the silence from those opposite. We could do so much more if we got our fair share from the GST. We could employ 9300 extra teachers with the $970 million plus that the federal government is advocating that this state lose year on year.