Mr PALLAS (Treasurer) — I rise at the end of this parliamentary year to reflect upon the achievements of the Andrews Labor government after two years of putting people first. We said we would get Victorians back to work, and then we created 184 000 jobs. We have created more new jobs in the last 12 months than the rest of the nation combined. We said we would make Victoria the education state, then we handed down the biggest education budget in Victoria’s history. We said we would keep Victoria’s finances strong, then we delivered one of the largest surpluses in Victoria’s history. We said we would lease the port and we would remove 50 level crossings in eight years — well, we will be done or in the ground on 37 of those by the end of 2018. We delivered gross state product growth four times greater in 2015–16 than those opposite delivered in their last year.

The holiday season of course is a time for family and a time for reflection. For our government that means recognising that we have to change pace and reflect.

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER — Order! The Treasurer is entitled to silence.

Mr PALLAS — I am not sure whether those opposite will actually have to change pace at all in the holiday season.

To our intrepid Hansard reporters, thank you very much — —

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER — Order! The Chair and our friends in the media must, in the concluding 26 seconds, be able to hear the Treasurer, in silence. To conclude his statement the Treasurer must continue and the Chair must be able to hear the Treasurer make that statement.

Mr PALLAS — To the Hansard reporters, thanks for making the government sound erudite and for doing justice to the opposition.

Christmas is a time for giving, and the greatest gift the opposition could give is to remain exactly where they are, doing whatever it is they do. I think I speak on behalf of all of my colleagues in saying that we could not have asked for a better opposition. To quote Billy Joel: ‘Don’t go changing, we love you just the way you are’.