Book 8 - Parliament of Victoria

GOVERNMENT: ELECTION COMMITMENTS
1612 COUNCIL Wednesday, 1 June 2011
they get beyond the extravagant arm waving, bluster
and aggression of government members such as
Mr Finn — —
Mr Elsbury interjected.
Mr JENNINGS — Mr Elsbury is just itching for his
opportunity to have another go. Who but the ignorant
would believe it? The government is relying on the
ignorance of its audience, because no-one who calmly
considers these matters would believe it. The
government might have a bit of joy, fun and bluster in
what happens here — —
Mr Leane interjected.
Mr JENNINGS — Excellent, no problems.
Government members might have a bit of fun. They
might think they have intimidated members of the
opposition and made us grieve for opportunities lost
and feel as if we are being punished and they might like
that, but ultimately at the end of the day it is the
government’s responsibility to deliver. It is the
government’s responsibility to fund what it commits to
doing, support the services it was elected to support, put
this support in the budget and make it happen. That is
not happening in Victoria. Anybody in the government
who kids themselves that this is happening does not
understand budgets and election commitments and
certainly does not understand how to deliver better
outcomes for the Victorian people.
Mr Drum interjected.
Mr JENNINGS — If you think that and you are
comfortable with your position, you will learn many
lessons about government very quickly.
Mrs KRONBERG (Eastern Metropolitan) — It is
with a considerable amount of passion that I join my
colleagues on the government side to make some
comments on Mr Viney’s motion. I am a proud
member of the Baillieu government. It put together a
responsible budget in extremely difficult times — a
budget that had a large element of its core ripped out of
it by the savaging of the Gillard federal government
when it withheld $4.1 billion. To recast a responsible
budget after what Labor has done is genius. This budget
is the result of a strategic attempt to honour election
promises and commitments. In stark contrast to the
former Labor government, the Baillieu government has
the capacity and the wherewithal to actually deliver, to
continue to deliver, to know what it is doing and to
make intelligent, erudite, well-thought-out and carefully
managed decisions.
The narrowcast contribution we have just heard from
Mr Jennings said it all. Firstly, he was not prepared to
make statements outside of his particular area of focus
or comfort zone. One might say that that represents the
general indolence and lacklustre performance of the
opposition that we have seen over the last six months. It
characterises its approach. I have some sympathy for
members of the opposition, because the cadaverous
demeanours they have adopted clearly show that their
guts have been ripped out. They are despondent
because in the last six months of reflection they have
realised just how out of their depth they were.
The contrast between their performance for the last
11 years and what we have been able to achieve in the
last six months, the turnaround in terms of what we
have been able to deliver and what we will deliver in
the future, is stark. We are living up to our promises
and our pledges to the Victorian people, and we will
continue to do that. We will be able to look the
Victorian people in the eye and say, ‘We respect you.
We will honour you, and we will deliver everything we
have pledged to you’. We will use all of our wit and
ability to make sure that we do not cheat, defraud,
disappoint or alienate the people of Victoria.
Mr Viney has been talking about how he wants us to
honour all our election commitments. He wants
evidence that they will actually manifest. A budget lies
before us that was delivered on 3 May, and it has
received much recognition and support and many
accolades. That continues to resonate not only in the
state of Victoria but also throughout the Australian
economy, and it sets new standards for other states. I
am proud of the Baillieu government.
Furthermore, as we heard from my colleague Mr Philip
Davis in the chamber earlier this morning, the Public
Accounts and Estimates Committee has completed its
budget hearings. A series of reports will come out of
those hearings, and as we know one was tabled today. I
have before me part 1 of the budget estimates report for
2011–12, which includes an analysis of the key aspects
of the 2011–12 budget, including a number of
recommendations; an index of key matters raised at the
budget estimates hearings; and details of further
information to be provided and questions on notice for
each portfolio.
Shortly we will receive part 2, which will be developed
on the basis of an examination of departmental
performance measures. I think that is an interesting
notion to underscore at this point — the idea of
performance measures and departments being
accountable. It is interesting to look at the idea of
seeking that departments be more productive instead of