MR PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (11:39): It is an exciting time to be a Victorian, with the state’s economy rebounding out of the pandemic with the fastest growth rate of any of the states. Business conditions are up, with the NAB business survey clocking in at a plus 21. That is not only above the long-term average, it is more than double what it was at any point when those opposite were on the government benches in the four long, lost years. Our state is witnessing a jobs-led recovery supported by a $134 billion Big Build; 243 000 jobs have been created since September of last year and our employment numbers now are above where they were pre pandemic, so we are smashing our interim jobs target.

But I am sorry to say that the media recently reported that there are some who advocate alternative policies. They want to cut infrastructure spending and slash the public service. These zealots should not be vague; they should come clean to the people of Victoria about the critical projects that they would cancel: North East Link, Regional Rail Revival, or maybe they can tell us which of the 75 level crossings they would like to get rid of? Like Rocky Horror Show, they are living in a time warp, pushing a zombie toll road that loses 55 cents in every dollar and at least two elections, but we are still counting. It is a step to the far right—just a step to the far right—and it is being led by the member for Ripon and her cuts to infrastructure spending. Victoria is bouncing back from the pandemic with an infrastructure and jobs-led economic recovery—

Members interjecting.