MR PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:08): I said on budget day that this is a budget for jobs, and it absolutely is. Before the pandemic we saw that some 523 000 new Victorian jobs were created between November 2014 and March 2020—more jobs in this period than any other state or territory in Australia. Victoria’s jobs plan aims to replicate this success. We have got a strategy and a target of 400 000 new jobs by 2025 and of course an interim milestone of 200 000 new jobs by 2022. To reach this target, we are funding job-creating capital projects like the Suburban Rail Loop and of course the Melbourne Airport rail link. There is $5.3 billion for social housing, there is $3 billion for school upgrades and $2 billion for health and hospital infrastructure.

We are going to deliver jobs by investing in people and in projects that employ people—that is, jobs for builders, teachers and nurses. We are getting women back to work by employing more than 4100 tutors and a 500-strong recovery workforce. We are providing $250 million to work with business to employ some 6000 women, and we are supporting women’s workforce participation by providing free kindergarten next year and boosting before- and after-school care.

There is $220 million to create and retain jobs in our creative industries—in the arts, culture, screen and of course Victoria’s live music. There is $465 million for Victoria’s tourism recovery package to support tourism jobs across the state. We are serious about creating jobs—jobs for Victorians in every corner of our state, in every industry from trades to the arts and everything in between. Make no mistake: this government’s focus is on getting people back to work.