Speech - Government Business Program Motion

SPEECH

‘GOVERNMENT BUSINESS PROGRAM MOTION’

Wednesday, 17 February 2021

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (13:13):

This debate is so very important. This Government Business Program is something that every Victorian should know about. Every Victorian should be listening today to know that this Government Business Program is the scheduling of the extension of the state-of-emergency powers — the extension of the state-of-emergency powers in this state to give the Premier, Daniel Andrews, a year’s extension of state-of-emergency powers. We know that Daniel Andrews is dangerous. He has hurt Victorians.

Ms Allan: On a point of order, Speaker, you were perhaps also going to interrupt the Member for Brighton mid-flight on a speech he has been practising now for the best part of I reckon four or five days. As much as we are fond on this side of the House of talking about and supporting our terrific Premier, the Premier is not the subject of the Government Business Program. The Government’s legislative agenda is the subject of the Government Business Program. If the Member wishes to remake this speech, he will have the opportunity to do so on the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (State of Emergency Extension) Bill 2021, given we have granted agreement for all Members of the Opposition to make this cookie-cutter speech on the public health and wellbeing bill. We look forward to that happening on Thursday and Friday of this week. I ask you to bring the new Member for Brighton back to the Government Business Program.

The SPEAKER: On this point of order, I ask Members not to debate the Bills that are on the Government Business Program, but Members are entitled to touch on those Bills and at this point I would suggest the Member for Brighton is just touching on this Bill. I do, though, remind the Member for Brighton about using people’s correct titles—that includes the Premier—and also to be careful not to make imputations about Members in the Chamber as well.

Mr NEWBURY: I understand why the Leader of the House would be running a protection racket for the Premier. The scheduling of the state of emergency powers Bill this week is outrageous. It is absolutely outrageous. Victorians know that this Bill is dangerous. They know that giving the Premier these powers is dangerous.

I very rarely talk about personal matters in this chamber on purpose. On Monday my six-year-old daughter woke up in the morning, came in, sat on my lap and started crying because of the online learning that she would be going through this week—my six-year-old daughter.

The effect that this has on little kids is unacceptable; it is outrageous. It is outrageous what this Premier is doing to children, to small businesses—and then to know that only one in five receive support is totally and utterly unacceptable. To know that he has shut down this state for five days and provided no support on a whim, on a lie, is outrageous. The scheduling of the Bill this week is a matter that every single Victorian knows is unacceptable. Every Victorian is passionate about the scheduling of this Bill this week. For the Government to say it is allowing Members on the other side of the Chamber to have a view, to speak, is arrogant beyond belief. I can assure every Victorian the Liberal Party will oppose this every step of the way. We will oppose this Premier’s clear, outrageous power grab every step of the way — every one of us.

The Government will sit there allowing the Premier to have these powers, allowing the Premier to shut down the State at any point—

Ms Allan: On a point of order, Speaker, I appreciate the Member for Brighton is enjoying taking the Member for Malvern’s thunder from the speech that he should be making tomorrow, but this is actually about the Government Business Program not the substance of the Bill itself.

The SPEAKER: I do ask the Member to come back to the Program rather than
the Bill itself.

Mr NEWBURY: We will oppose it every step of the way.

House divided on motion.