I rise to inform the house about actions being taken by the Andrews Labor government to stand up to the Prime Minister and the Liberal Party in Canberra and make sure that Victorians get their fair share of federal infrastructure funding.

We are trying to work cooperatively with the commonwealth on these matters, but it is making it very, very difficult. Again and again we enter into discussions in good faith, but we find that they are cut short by childish media stunts and deceitful behaviour. The Prime Minister promised that he was not going to rip off Victoria, but the truth and his words parted company, just like his words and Victoria’s interests parted company.

Over the forward estimates period the federal Liberals are planning to allocate just 8.9 per cent of federal infrastructure funding to Victoria — 8.9 per cent! — even though we represent 25 per cent of the Australian population and we are one of the fastest growing states. That means that every year for the next five years every Victorian man, woman and child will subsidise the construction of infrastructure in New South Wales and Queensland to the tune of $148. It is a rip-off that would make Arthur Daley blush. It is sandpit politics, and the Andrews government will not be complicit in any way to assist with this anti-Victorian rip-off from a federal government based firmly on the North Shore of Sydney.

The Andrews government will fight for every dollar of the funding that is the just deserts of Victorians. We will resist any attempt by the Prime Minister to take back what rightfully belongs to Victorians, and we will deliver what Victorians voted for and what they deserve.