Tim PALLAS (Werribee – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Economic Growth) (14:36): I think I will take this as the Minister for Economic Growth if I can, because I am very excited that I can announce that last month I partnered with RayGen Resources on a $20 million investment from the state of Victoria to enable the state’s transition to clean sources of energy following the great leadership of our Minister for Energy and Resources.

RayGen has developed photovoltaic solar panels that generate nearly 2000 times more power than traditional solar systems under a concentrated beam of sunlight. Proudly a Victorian company, RayGen has been operating since 2015 at a test facility in Newbridge, which is in the member for Ripon’s electorate, while their flagship solar and storage project is in Mildura. While most solar panels used in Australia are made overseas, RayGen’s solar modules will be made in Victoria, with a new manufacturing facility under construction in Hawthorn East. It is not clear to me whether the member for Hawthorn supports this or opposes it, just like he opposes housing developments in his electorate.

We are supporting good ideas like RayGen’s energy storage solution, keeping our best and our brightest minds and ideas on home soil and creating jobs, good jobs for Victorians. The sun is indeed shining on Victoria’s job creation. More than half a million Victorians have secured employment since September 2020, and that was the height of the pandemic. We have created over 100,000 more jobs than any other state in the nation. The economic outlook for Victoria is also the most robust of all the states. Deloitte Access Economics has forecast that our economy will be the fastest growing in the nation over the next five years, so Victoria is leading the way.