Motion: Government Business Program

MOTION

‘GOVERNMENT BUSINESS PROGRAM’.

Tuesday, 28 October 2025

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:20):

I will first make some remarks in relation to the Government Business Program but then, in the spirit of the rest of the Government business for the week, will make some comments in relation to that, as did the Leader of the House.

In relation to the Government Business Program, which sets three Bills for debate this week, we will be opposing the Government Business Program. Considering the activity of the Chamber this week on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment Bill 2025, there is no way that this house will be able to do anything with those three Bills other than to ram them through.

One of them I can certainly understand in relation to State Tax. We on this side of the house know the Government has increased or introduced 63 new taxes, so it does not surprise me that there will not be much time for debate during Government business on the State Taxation Further Amendment Bill 2025, as is the case with the other two Bills.

We can see that the Government’s Chamber time, as I have said repeatedly, is mismanaged. You can see that any Bill, especially when it comes to taxation, is rushed through at every opportunity, sometimes with under two hours of debate – very, very swift ramming through of very impactful legislation. These great big new taxes on car parks and on pets will certainly have an impact on every Victorian. Not allowing the Chamber enough time to debate these issues properly of course should be opposed.

I will also make some comments around the voluntary assisted dying legislation. The Coalition will be enabling a free vote for all Members on that legislation and all matters relating to it. When it comes to Amendments moved by any Member, every Member on our side of the Chamber will have the capacity to consider each issue on its merits and vote in that way, as will also be the case when it comes to any procedural matters. That may be a different approach to the Government’s in terms of motions of that nature, but on anything relating to procedure and anything in relation to an Amendment and the substantive matter, Members on this side of the Chamber will have a free vote to consider the matters on their merits and vote as they will.

Also, I believe the Minister is considering a Consideration-In-Detail opportunity. Every Member, if that were to occur, would have an opportunity to talk to the Minister throughout that process. Consideration in detail is not an opportunity many Members have experienced before, but it is an opportunity for Members to ask questions of a Minister and have answers on issues which they are concerned about or queries in relation to a Bill. Consideration in detail is a very important opportunity for the Chamber, so I would certainly encourage any Member who has genuine questions around a Bill to come and in good spirit ask questions relating to the substance of the matter. I was very glad to hear the Leader of the House outline that Members would have an opportunity to speak, because, as the Minister said, this is a deeply personal issue, and I am sure it will be a very, very difficult debate for everybody. No matter where you sit on this issue, I am sure we will all find this a very difficult conversation and a difficult conversation for the broader community; for our communities talking to us as their Members, this is a very difficult issue. I know that the House will have time extended. I am aware that at least half the Members of this Chamber want to speak on it already, so the opportunity to speak is important.

I am also really glad and thank the Leader of the House for her indication that we will likely move the debate into a second day rather than trying to run through the night. Because it is such an important issue and because it is such a deeply personal issue in many ways, I think it is important that we all have a clear head when we talk about these matters. Going through the Amendments exhaustively in the middle of the night probably, in my view, would not be the best way to do it. I think having a full debate today and then a bit of a debate tomorrow and then going through the consideration in detail and other matters is appropriate tomorrow. I thank the Government on that matter.

On the Government Business Program, as I said earlier, we will be opposing it for the reasons that I outlined earlier.