Mr PALLAS (Treasurer) — I rise to inform the house about the Andrews Labor government’s success in creating jobs for regional Victoria. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the regional unemployment rate is 5.6 per cent. It is the equal lowest of all the states and below the national average. Since November 2014, 32 000 jobs have been created in regional Victoria, and 16 000 of these are full-time jobs….

To put these numbers in perspective, this is almost six times as many regional jobs as those opposite managed to create in four long, wasted years.

These sorts of jobs do not happen by accident. The indefatigable member for Geelong would no doubt know that in Geelong she has done fantastic work in her community, with 23 700 jobs created since November 2014, and of course the unemployment rate has dropped from 8.2 per cent down to 5 per cent. Up north, the resolute member for Bendigo West continues to be a strong advocate for her community, for her electorate and for jobs. She has been a driving force behind the 5400 jobs that have been created in the Bendigo region in the last year.

Now some members opposite would have you believe that you create jobs and growth by effectively — —

Mr Northe — On a point of order, Speaker, could I ask the Treasurer to also refer to the Latrobe region, where unemployment has gone from 7.3 per cent to 9.3 per cent under this government.

The SPEAKER — Order! There is no point of order.

Mr PALLAS — I will leave those opposite to have a tweet-led jobs recovery while we get on and do something.

Today the ANZ Stateometer has identified Victoria as the only state in the nation that is accelerating above trend in economic growth — and that is why our regional unemployment rate is the envy of the nation.