Parliament expected to pass $24.5 billion relief package
An unprecedented emergency fund, which would borrow an extra $24.5 billion to create a financial buffer for Victoria amid the coronavirus crisis, is expected to pass parliament.
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One of the biggest relief packages in Victoria’s history was on Thursday night set to pass parliament.
The unprecedented emergency fund, first floated by the government last week, would borrow an extra $24.5 billion to create a financial buffer for the state amid the coronavirus crisis.
Parliament was recalled for the day to operate under strict social distancing rules that limited the number of MPs in the Legislative Assembly to half.
Debate on the massive financial package stretched into the night, however it was expected to garner bipartisan support.
An omnibus Bill was passed to deliver a $500 million rent relief package and ban on evictions, as well as a raft of temporary changes to the health system and the option of judge-only trials.
Premier Daniel Andrews said more than $1 billion a week — $32 billion over the next six months — was being wiped from the economy and the urgent relief was needed.
“They are the smart and right thing to do — borrow to build that bridge to the other side of this pandemic, and then work really, really hard every day to grow jobs, to build confidence to get things done,” Mr Andrews said.
It came after the government rejected an Opposition bid for an oversight committee to scrutinise the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Andrews said the government would be kept to account by the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, and on Thursday added crossbencher David Limbrick to the panel.
But Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam said the committee was not suitable because it was controlled and chaired by the government.
“They are making extraordinary decisions on a daily basis and those decisions can’t be immune from adequate scrutiny,” she said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, David Davis, said the defeat was a blow to transparency, and had given the Andrews Government “permission to mark its own homework” on its pandemic response.
PARLIAMENT PASSES VICTORIA’S RENT RELIEF PACKAGE
The state government’s $500 million rent relief package has been passed by the Victorian Parliament.
The relief package formed part of the government’s COVID-19 Omnibus Bill and will put a temporary ban on evictions and rent increases.
The Bill will also introduce a raft of wide-ranging temporary measures in response to the coronavirus crisis.
They include the option of judge only trials in a bid to try and clear a growing backlog of cases since the courts stopped jury trials last month.
Delays of up to three years are expected with the County Court alone estimating more than 700 matters will be impacted.
The legislation also gives magistrates the power to force criminals to wear electronic monitoring tags and give greater flexibility to courts to reduce person-to-person interaction.
Quarantine orders will also be allowed in prisons and youth justice facilities.
Almost all the provisions in the bill will sunset after six months.
Parliament was recalled for a special sitting today to deal with the bill.
The Legislative Council will now move to consider the $24.5 billion being sought by the government to set up an emergency fund.
LOGGING PROTESTERS AVOID SOCIAL DISTANCING FINES
Protesters have been moved on from a state forest but escaped being fined for apparent breaches of coronavirus restrictions, it has been claimed.
While Victorians are bunkered down at home and banned from recreational activities including camping and fishing, the logging protesters setup camp inside Victoria’s state forests.
On Monday police were called after campers set up between Poweltown and Gembrook south-east of Melbourne.
Logging contractor Brett Robbin said the group were recognised as known protesters.
Mr Robbin said it was ironic that the group were protesting to save forests but were ruining the integrity of the forest by building campfires and digging holes.
He said he was angry that they were flouting COVID-19 restrictions.
“There seems to be two sets of rules, one for us and one for them,” Mr Robbin said.
Mr Robbin said the protesters claimed to be homeless before being moved on by police.
“They are well known activists. And these people are breaking the rules day after day after day.”
Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.
VICTORIAN DEATH TOLL RISES
Victoria’s coronavirus death toll has increased once again after a man aged in his 60s died overnight.
It brings the total number of deaths to 16.
But in a promising sign, only one new case of coronavirus was recorded overnight and the number of community transmissions has not increased.
Twenty-seven people are in hospital, including 10 in intensive care.
So far, 1251 people have recovered and more than 93,000 Victorians have been tested.
It comes as the Andrews Government considers the fast-tracking of big-dollar construction projects as it plots how to reinvigorate Victoria’s economy.
The option of bringing forward billions of dollars’ worth of construction while also investing in more rail and road infrastructure is on the table.
The flow-on economic impacts could form the centrepiece of the road to recovery, along with tax reform.
Treasurer Tim Pallas is preparing to borrow up to $24.5 billion in emergency funding and has vowed to fight for every job under threat from the downturn caused by the pandemic.
State government modelling predicted the state’s economic output could drop by $32 billion over the next six months, putting 270,0000 Victorians out of work.
CONFUSION AS ELECTIVE SURGERIES SET TO RESUME
The government is looking at ways to kickstart the economic revival, including:
FAST-TRACKING construction of new schools and a maintenance blitz of old ones;
BOOSTING the number of major road and rail projects;
PARTNERING with super funds, businesses and councils to deliver more works; and
BOOSTING training facilities to provide skills for projects.
Plans are also under way for a revival of the state’s vital tourism and major events sector, once coronavirus restrictions are lifted completed.
Premier Daniel Andrews said Victoria’s infrastructure projects could grow to help support the jobs needed.
“We’ve got the biggest construction agenda in our nation and certainly the biggest in our state’s history,” he said.
“That is going to need to get bigger. We’re going to even do more in roads, rail, hospitals and schools.
“There are many different ways in which the government can work so, so hard to stand with every single worker, family and business that has been touched by this.”
“We know that some jobs will bounce back quickly, but for those that don’t we’ll be there to help workers and businesses every step of the way.”
Mr Pallas said he would not give up on any job under threat. “There will be a return to better economic times but it will take time,” he said.
“This is a testing time for the Victorian economy, but we’ll be fighting for every single job. We will work closely with the private sector and unions to support jobs and back businesses to get to the other side of this crisis.”
Reserve Bank chief Philip Lowe warned the tax and industrial relations system would need major reform. This may mean changes to GST and state land taxes.
Mr Pallas said reform, particularly on tax collection, would be a key driver in Victoria’s economic plan.
“We are keen to work with the commonwealth … and to recognise that we’ll have to reassess the way that the burden of taxation and the recovery effort falls within the economy,” he said.
IN THE PIPELINE
VICTORIAN PROJECTS WITH POTENTIAL TO BE FAST-TRACKED
Melbourne’s airport rail link
Planned new schools, including 53 to be built by 2026
A $515 million maintenance blitz for every state school
Western Rail Plan to electrify and improve rail corridors
Sections of the Northern and South Eastern Roads Upgrade
Remaining upgrades to the M80 Ring Road
Level crossing removals
New Western Health hospital in Melton
Public transport for Fisherman’s Bend
The North East Link
BIG BUSINESS TAX CUTS PUSHED FOR GROWTH
Company tax cuts are back on the federal government’s agenda to grow the economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
The government dumped plans for big business tax cuts before last year’s federal election, after several ill-fated efforts to force the changes through parliament.
But Prime Minister Scott Morrison has acknowledged the economy would no longer be able to keep growing “under the old settings”.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Australia’s company tax rate — at 30 per cent for businesses with turnover above $50 million — was “still very high by international standards”.
“If you go to the US, it’s 21 cents in the dollar, in the UK it is 19 cents in the dollar and in Singapore it’s 17 cents in the dollar,” he said. “We will look at tax reform as an area of interest because we’re always looking for opportunities to cut taxes.”
It is understood the government is open to all options to stimulate growth after the pandemic, but does not want to raise taxes.
Mr Morrison held talks with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, and the pair agreed the recovery needed to be led by business, not by government.
Business Council of Australia chief Jennifer Westacott said cutting company tax rates was crucial as she called for “pro-growth reforms” instead of “ideological turf wars”.
“We’re not asking … for us to have the lowest rate, we’re simply asking for a competitive rate, so that we can be a magnet for investment in this country,” she said. “We already have so many advantages, but we have one disadvantage, which is a tax rate that is so much higher than everywhere else in the world.”
POLICE SUPPORT ROLE TO EXPAND
Police Association boss Wayne Gatt has backed plans to permanently expand protective service officer patrols after the pandemic ends.
On Wednesday Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton told the Herald Sun PSOs were doing a “great job” preventing crime on the streets amid a spike in burglaries at vacant businesses. He said their work was proof they had capacity to protect the community beyond public transport.
“This evolution makes sense for community safety, and builds on the investment of successive governments in the PSO workforce,” he said.
“We believe it has merit both in this current context, and into the future.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville also credited PSOs for their “incredible work” and said legislation was under way to expand their roles.
BOOZE FLOWING A BIT TOO FREELY
Victorians are being urged to keep an eye on their alcohol intake after new figures revealed just how much we are indulging on booze during the coronavirus lockdown.
New data from a recent YouGov poll shows one in five households are buying extra alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic, while a third are enjoying a drink each day.
And of the 1000 people surveyed, 70 per cent admitted to drinking more than usual.
The Heart Foundation on Wednesday warned against drinking in excess, particularly for those with pre-existing heart conditions.
Director of health strategy Julie Anne Mitchell said encouraging healthy drinking habits while at home was important.
MORE KIDS CONNECTED
An extra 21,000 internet dongles are being sent to Victorian students as the government responds to extreme demand due to remote learning.
The Victorian Government struck up a deal with Telstra to supply the gadgets, taking the total number of internet devices being offered to families in need to 26,000.
Priority will be given to senior secondary students, bushfire-affected communities and those who can’t afford internet at home.
Almost 50,000 laptops and tablets have also been loaned to Victorian kids through term 2.
Education Minister James Merlino said the new agreement with Telstra meant no child would miss out learning from home during this period.
“We’re … providing a device to every child that needs one as well as internet access to thousands of Victorian students,” he said
SPIT FINE BACKED
Victoria’s Rail, Tram and Bus Union have called for the introduction of hefty new fines for anyone caught coughing or spitting on public transport staff.
In a letter to the state government, state secretary Luba Grigorovitch urged for Victoria to follow new legislation introduced in NSW.
The laws, introduced in response to behaviour after the coronavirus outbreak, impose a $5000 penalty on anyone caught coughing and spitting on people making their way to work.
It comes after reports police officers and other frontline workers were being targeted over the past month.
“While the vast majority of the travelling public continue to practise good hygiene, social distancing and are respectful of others’ circumstances, there remains a minority who have used COVID-19 as a threat,” Ms Grigorovitch said.
She said more enforcement was needed.
— With Aneeka Simonis and Alanah Frost
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