Mr PALLAS (Treasurer) (11:23:18) — I rise to inform the house about the government’s ongoing actions to secure a positive economic outcome in Fishermans Bend. The Minister for Planning, a great planning minister, has called in 26 planning applications pending a final planning strategy for the area. Of course the greatest gift that a government can be given is the opportunity to shape the future of our great state. Every single person on this side of the house takes that responsibility seriously; those opposite are prepared to trade it off for a lobster dinner.

Last year the Minister for Planning released the draft planning controls for Fishermans Bend. Those controls outline a vision for social and economic development of the precinct, including creating space for 80 000 new jobs, five new schools, four AFL ovals and six soccer pitches. We are already taking concrete steps towards delivery of that vision. In December I announced with the also great Minister for Industry and Employment an agreement with the University of Melbourne for the development of a $1 billion engineering campus in Fishermans Bend. Today we announced the final step in unwinding the dodgy leftovers from the Leader of the Opposition.

This has been a disgraceful episode. It is possibly the greatest heist ever perpetrated on the people of Victoria, stealing from our future in order to favour fortunate and friendly developer mates.

Mr Clark — On a point of order, Speaker, the Treasurer is departing from making a ministers statement and is proceeding to debate the issue. I ask you to bring him back to making a ministers statement.

The SPEAKER — The Treasurer is departing from his statement, and I ask the Treasurer to come back to making a ministers statement.

Mr PALLAS — We are serious about developing upon a vision that will assure the economic vitality of this area, but also recognising a community will build in it, so a Gold Coast on the Yarra that would have made Joh Bjelke‑Petersen blush is not part of that vision. A vision needs to be more than a competition about who can plan and build the biggest apartment blocks.