Mr J. BULL (Sunbury) — I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the take-note motion on the 2017–18 budget, and so pleased that a number of members of the opposition have come in for my contribution this afternoon. This government was elected to get on with the job, and that is exactly what it is doing: keeping its promises and delivering on the things that really matter to Victorians. Our first state budget was a great day for the state and great for the people of the Sunbury electorate. It was a budget that delivered on those things that really matter: better schools, better hospitals, new and upgraded roads, public transport, removing level crossings, creating thousands of jobs and keeping Victorians safe. This is a budget that reinforces the Andrews Labor government’s track record of strong financial management, with a surplus of $1.2 billion, surpluses averaging $2.4 billion over the forward estimates. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Premier, the Treasurer, the Minister for Finance and the Parliamentary Secretary for Finance for the outstanding work that has been done in bringing this budget to the house.

The budget is a statement of the government’s priorities and values. There comes a time, I believe, when those opposite need to show us where their priorities are and what their values are. There is no substitute for hard work, no substitute for a lack of policy and no substitute for a lack of good ideas. What we are hearing now is rumblings from those opposite, and one member saying that you can only blame the Premier for so long. This is a budget that serves all Victorians.

I have spoken a number of times in this house about the impact and causes of family violence. I will never forget the local forum that I held in Sunbury with the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and the tragic experiences that were shared. Our government promised to tackle this issue, the most serious law and order issue of our time, and this budget is a historic and life-changing investment to end family violence. There is an unprecedented $1.9 billion investment to implement every recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, an investment that will save lives and help respond to the needs of victims and keep them, their families and their children safe, and those who commit crimes will be held to account.

There will be 17 support and safety hubs across the state helping tens of thousands of victims with more after-hours crisis support and creating five specialist family violence courts to make our justice system more responsive to those needs. This is an incredibly important investment in an issue that I am sure crosses party lines.

We know in this house that Victorians need and deserve to feel safe, and there is a $2 billion investment into recruiting over 3000 more police. I am very pleased that already we are seeing the first of the 300 frontline police officers on the streets. Of these, 89 new police officers are deployed to the Fawkner division of Victoria Police, 36 of these specifically assigned to the Hume police service area covering Sunbury. We understand, though, that crime is a very complex issue, and you need complex solutions to fix complex problems. We are committed to ensuring that all Victorians are given the support they need when they need it.

This budget once again delivers on the Andrews Labor government’s outstanding record in education, building the education state brick by brick. This government committed $1.3 billion to schools, which comes on top of record funding in the last budget, including an extra $685 million to build and upgrade schools right across Victoria. Two schools are fortunately in my electorate, Sunbury Downs College and Diggers Rest Primary School. These are terrific, outstanding and hardworking schools — two schools in fact that my mum worked at for a number of years. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to deliver good news to your schools on behalf of the government. I can see that the member for Frankston is fully supportive of that. He has certainly delivered funding to four schools in his electorate. I had the opportunity to make the announcement at Sunbury Downs College of $3.92 million to upgrade and modernise school buildings; and there is $151 000 for Diggers Rest Primary School, which was an outstanding announcement to make. I was very pleased to be able to join with Rachelle Hedger, the principal of Diggers Rest Primary School and Maria Oddo, the principal of Sunbury Downs College.

There have been many wonderful highlights in my time at Parliament, but I must say that seeing the reaction of the school community when these announcements were made is something that was truly humbling. Maria Oddo, the principal of Sunbury Downs College, told me that this money will be vital in looking at upgrading kitchens and building a new science wing and a new technology wing. She is delighted that the Andrews Labor government is ‘supporting the education initiatives to support 21st-century learning’.

Every Victorian deserves first-class health care when they need it the most, and we are investing $2.9 billion in health care, with major upgrades at some of our busiest hospitals and planning for a new Footscray Hospital, in addition to the record investment in our last two budgets. The 2017–18 budget will invest over $160 million for a vital upgrade to the Northern Hospital. My sister was a nurse at the Northern Hospital emergency department for probably the best part of 10 years, if not more, and did a fantastic job in the emergency department. I just want to take the opportunity to congratulate her and all of the wonderful nurses, doctors and medical staff that do an outstanding job to provide that high-care, high-class quality of support in the north.

This is outstanding news for the community, as I mentioned, and I was certainly very pleased to join a number of northern suburbs MPs to meet with the management and staff of the Northern Hospital prior to the budget. The funds that have been allocated will be used for a stage 2 project, which will complete a seven-storey tower and 96 new inpatient beds, three new operating theatres and more treatment rooms. That is something I fully support, and am I am very proud that this covenant has been able to get on and deliver it.

The Andrews Labor government understands the importance of our regions and our rural areas. We know how hard people in the country work, and we value this hard work. We know how important it is to provide high-class, high-care services to our regions and to our country areas, and we understand the difficulty in geography and getting to many of the services over great distances.

Victoria’s population was 6.1 million at September 2016, and the population of greater Melbourne was 4.64 million in 2016. We know we are a very fast-growing state — 2.1 per cent population growth annually, which is the highest of all states and territories. I often speak about this growth in the house, and I think for the outer suburbs it is an issue that we are experiencing. It is something that proves the investment and the level of services that are provided in these areas is absolutely vital. What is important of course is that we keep our regions thriving and we encourage people to move their — —

Ms Staley — On a point of order, Acting Speaker, I refer to Rulings from the Chair, where it says that reading a prepared speech is unparliamentary. It states:

It is a well-established practice that members do not read their speeches.

I ask you to uphold previous rulings from the Chair.

Mr Edbrooke — On the point of order, Acting Speaker, I have been listening intently to the member for Sunbury. I would say to those opposite that if they had been listening, they would know that he has not actually been reading the whole time.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Ms Blandthorn) — Order! Is the member for Sunbury reading his speech or referring to notes?

Mr Watt — On the point of order — —

The ACTING SPEAKER (Ms Blandthorn) — Order! I have heard enough on the point of order. The member has indicated that he is not reading his speech. I ask the member to return to giving his speech.

Mr J. BULL — Thank you very much, Acting Speaker, and I am pleased to continue my contribution on the budget. As I was discussing, the investment in the regions is something that this government is incredibly proud of. It is an investment that ensures that we get train services in and out of the regions, with a $1.45 billion investment into regional rail. It is something that I know this government is incredibly proud of.

I want to mention the wonderful Night Network service that has been provided to my community and communities right across the state. I was incredibly pleased to hear the Minister for Public Transport recommit to the Night Network, ensuring that our trains can run through the weekend all night, so those on shift work and those that travel in and out to the CBD are able to get in and out when they previously could not. This is an outstanding announcement, and I would like to commend the Minister for Public Transport on her commitment and hard work in this space.

Whilst I am on public transport, how can I not talk about Australia’s most important public transport project, Melbourne Metro? Those two 9-kilometre tunnels, five new stations and the ability to move thousands more passengers through the city loop is an outstanding announcement, and a terrific project only able to be delivered by the Andrews Labor government.

Ms Ward interjected.

Mr J. BULL — Absolutely, member for Eltham, building for the future. If we look at the level crossing removal program, that is an outstanding program creating thousands of jobs and getting on with removing those crossings, improving safety and relieving congestion.

If I look at this budget from a local perspective, what I am particularly proud of — members opposite seem very keen to hear about my local announcements given that they are all here — are outstanding projects in my area, including the $10 million commitment for noise barriers at Gowanbrae as part of our election commitment, over $8 million for Sunbury College and $700 000 for Kismet Park Primary School. I can see the Minister for Local Government here, and how outstanding is it to be able to make a funding announcement from the Growing Suburbs Fund: a $3 million commitment to the Sunbury global learning centre, an outstanding project that has only been made possible thanks to the Andrews Labor government and the hard work of Hume City Council.

I want to take the opportunity to thank the minister for her commitment to the Growing Suburbs Fund. I had the great pleasure of joining the mayor and the CEO of Hume City Council at Eric Boardman Reserve last week. It was wonderful to be able to see the work of the Growing Suburbs Fund, a $490 000 commitment, as part of an $800 000 project to upgrade Boardman reserve.

The Sunbury tennis club — the list goes on — $400 000 for the tennis club from the Growing Suburbs Fund. I have mentioned the library. The Sunbury aquatic centre gets a $2 million commitment from the Growing Suburbs Fund for a 15 metre by 12 metre warm water pool, only made possible because of the Andrews Labor government.

The commitments just keep on coming. I am so incredibly proud. I forgot to mention $6.4 million to signalise the Gap Road and Horne Street roundabout, a project that for many, many years has needed to be done. Those opposite shake their heads, having ignored for four years in government a project that was absolutely critical to my community — a $6.4 million commitment. I want to thank the Minister for Roads and Road Safety for making that possible, and I very much look forward to seeing that delivered.

The list goes on. Members on this side of the house, the Andrews Labor government, are getting on with delivering for each and every Victorian. I am incredibly pleased to be part of a government that has been able to invest in jobs, invest in infrastructure, invest in services and continue to do the things that matter to each and every hardworking Victorian. We are getting on with the important things, we are getting on with the projects. I am incredibly pleased and incredibly proud to be able to join with my colleagues on this side of the house to ensure that infrastructure and those services are delivered to the people of my community.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of those that have spoken to me about those projects that we have been able to deliver: all those community groups, those individuals who have come forward and said, ‘We need this for our community’. We have been able to deliver. I commend the budget to the house.