Premier Jacinta Allan vows that government will forge ahead with critical infrastructure projects despite record debt
Premier Jacinta Allan has insisted her government won’t scrap critical infrastructure projects to protect jobs during a grilling at her first Question Time in her new role.
Victoria
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JACINTA Allan has faced questions over her government’s newest tax, the Suburban Rail Loop and the Commonwealth Games in her first Question Time as Premier.
Ms Allan was the only minister to be grilled during the 40 minute session with the Opposition tackling her record on spending.
She was also quizzed over claims her office was unaware of an announcement by treasurer Tim Pallas on Tuesday about a new tax on land owners.
The Herald Sun has been told the Premier’s office, and multiple ministers, were blindsided by the announcement that wasn’t expected until later this week.
“Of course I was aware, of course I was aware … I don’t know what you’re referring to,” Ms Allan said.
“This has gone through Cabinet.”
Asked why the government had taken the decision to introduce the tax as her first substantive act as Premier, Ms Allan said the move was essential to boost housing supply.
“We’re looking at everything we can do to build more homes,” she said.
“Everything we can do to increase supply, and everything that we can do to make sure that in this instance, vacant properties are made available for people to be able to live in.”
Asked about her record of cost blowouts while transport infrastructure minister that contributed to Victoria‘s record debt projections of $171bn, Ms Allan said her government would forge ahead with critical projects.
“We will continue to deliver the big complex transport infrastructure projects a growing city and state needs,” she said.
“Because to follow what others did during their time in government, which would be not to build anything, which would be to walk away from projects, which was to scrap the Metro tunnel, to walk away from critical projects our state needed would be saying to our state we’re not going to support the productive investment in infrastructure that our city and state deserves.
“If the approach that the opposition takes to the Suburban Rail Loop was taken when the city loop was being built, it would not have been.
“These people would have opposed the city loop in the same way that they‘re opposing the Suburban Rail Loop.
“We will continue to invest in a productive infrastructure that supports tens of thousands of jobs across our state.”
Ms Allan, formerly the minister responsible for the Commonwealth Games, also refused to commit to appearing before an upper house inquiry set to probe the cancellation of the event.
The Games probe was established after all upper house non-government MPs voted to support an opposition motion to set up a parliamentary inquiry.
It will have the power to call Ms Allan to appear, but can‘t compel her to testify.
However, former Commonwealth Games Legacy Minister Harriet Shing, who is a member of the upper house, is set to be front and centre of the inquiry.
External figures, such as former Games boss Jeroen Weimar, could be compelled to give evidence.
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