Baillieu gets down to business with a close look at the economy

THE Baillieu government will commission a report on the competitiveness of Victoria's economy.

Premier Ted Ballieu presides over the opening of the 57th parliament of Victoria. Picture: Aaron Francis

THE Baillieu government will commission a report on the competitiveness of Victoria's economy.

It will examine state taxes and regulation as well as the quality of education and skills in the state.

The inquiry forms part of five goals the government has pledged to focus on in its four-year term since its election win on November 27.

Victorian Governor David de Kretser yesterday read out the government's agenda as part of the formal opening of the 57th state parliament.

The opening included a Victoria Police guard of honour, the national anthem and a traditional welcome by Aboriginal elders.

Mr de Kretser, in his speech to all MPs in the upper house, said the government would focus on the aims of a growing economy, a government you can trust, secure water and healthy environment, strong families and services that work.

"This will be a government of inclusion and transparency, a government for all Victorians and for all families," he said. "The government will be focused on fixing problems to make a change for the better and build a positive future for Victorian families."

Mr de Kretser outlined the key promises made by the Coalition during the election which now formed its agenda for the next four years. "A competitiveness report on the Victorian economy will examine state taxes and regulation, the quality and price competitiveness of Victoria's infrastructure services and our education and skills base."

The agenda also outlined plans to "make sweeping changes to the management of rural water in Victoria", including establishing water substitution targets.

In the first day in parliament, which included a rowdy question time, the government introduced three bills to enable policies to be implemented.

These included legislation to abolish suspended sentences for some serious crimes, give school principals new powers to seize dangerous weapons and expand the operations of protective service officers to enable them to patrol train stations.

But pledges by the Coalition to abolish Dorothy Dixers during question time were not apparent in the first session, as government MPs asked their own party how its implementation of policies was going.