Motion: Government Business Program

MOTION

‘GOVERNMENT BUSINESS PROGRAM.’

Tuesday 29 October 2024.

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (13:17):

Deputy Speaker, in relation to the Government Business Program, when we got version 1 of the Government Business Program – because we are now on the
second motion; that has not yet been reflected in the Parliament’s printing because of the changes today – it listed three Bills, one of which the Leader of
the House just spoke about: the Transport Infrastructure and Planning Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. I think it is actually called the railroading communities Bill. The coalition sought from the government an opportunity to consider that Bill in detail, because effectively what that does do is railroad communities and take away all community rights.

The Coalition went to the Government seeking an opportunity to consider that bill. The Government, as they are prone to do, felt that their Minister was not able to deal with a consideration-in-detail process and declined the opportunity. On that basis we will be opposing the Government Business Program, because there must be opportunities in this place for Ministers to have the character and capacity to debate what they are putting to this place. When it comes to that Bill and Bills in other weeks when we have sought to take those Bills into consideration in detail, the Government has said no, and that is just fundamentally wrong. Only one time in this term has a Minister taken a Bill into consideration in detail.

This Bill specifically will railroad many, many communities, and we know that Victorians and Melburnians will see this; they will see it over time, and they are starting to see it. They are starting to stand up and say what the Government is doing is wrong, and that is what Melburnians and Victorians will do.

They will understand that the Government is railroading them, and that is what Victorians will do over time. Again, we sought an opportunity to take this Bill into consideration in detail and that was declined. We also earlier sought to move to introduce a Bill in relation to the tobacco firebombings and a fix for that, and we would have hoped that the Government would have not only allowed it to be introduced but afforded it an opportunity on the Government Business Program. Unfortunately, it was not provided an opportunity. We do know 108 bombings have occurred over the last 18 months – that is two a week. It is shameful to know that the Government has not allowed the Bill to be introduced or included in the Government Business Program.

We heard a debate earlier about the Government pushing forward with a Bill immediately, and I did note at the time that the Government had indicated that debate on that Bill would occur after there had been a briefing on the Bill and there had been some discussion. The Leader of the House spoke about our understanding of the Bill. I was handed a copy of the Bill and the second-reading speech when the Treasurer stood up. Having an opportunity to open it is not unreasonable, as it is not unreasonable for the opposition to be briefed on it so that they understand it. As I said in an earlier debate, the Coalition will always stand for lower taxes and always deliver lower taxes than the Labor Party will in their wildest dreams. On principle we are very strongly for lower taxes. It is just in relation to that Bill that it was not unreasonable that some process be followed rather than just the straight, raw, opportunistic politics of the Premier, but I think that was for all to see over the last week.

I know that each week I try and lobby the Leader of the House to allow a third of the Parliament – just under a third – to speak on the Budget Bill, because the Leader of the House does not want her own members to speak on the Budget motion. There are a number of members who have not had that opportunity. I know it was a dud Budget. We know it was a dud Budget because the Leader of the House will not even let their own Members speak on it, but every Member should have the opportunity on principle to speak on it – every Member.

Members interjecting.

James NEWBURY: There are members who are saying they spoke on it. Stand up for your colleagues, my friends. Stand up for your colleagues who have not spoken on it.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Through the Chair, Member for Brighton.

James NEWBURY: It is not unreasonable. The Coalition will be opposing the Government Business Program.