Mr PALLAS (Treasurer) — In the absence of any other inquiries, I rise to update the house on the Victorian Budget 2017–18 and the massive, massive contribution that it makes to Victoria’s infrastructure. The 2017–18 budget lifts infrastructure investment to $10.1 billion. Compare that to the long-run average infrastructure investment before we came to government of $4.9 billion.

We have more than doubled our annual infrastructure investment. In this budget we have added to the pipeline by funding such important works as the Mordialloc bypass, a massive upgrade to the Northern Hospital and $685 million for school capital right across Victoria. This adds to our historic investments in Melbourne Metro, the West Gate tunnel and the level crossing removal program.

Our record investment will create 50 000 Victorian jobs. But imagine what we could do if we had a little bit of help lifting the weight. We would get $6.6 billion more from the commonwealth were they motivated to give Victorians their per capita share of infrastructure funding…

Today we get a paltry 8.5 per cent in the federal budget arrangements. So at the very least what we want out of the commonwealth is $1.46 billion, our just deserts from our asset recycling funding that will allow the regional rail revival program to go ahead and deliver to regional Victorians the rail system that they have been crying out for and deserve, and have been sold out far too often by those opposite. So despite the intransigence and the insipid behaviour of the previous Liberal government, the Andrews Labor government is continuing to deliver for all Victorians.