Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Saturday, Victorians go to the polls to elect their government for the next four years. On offer is the very trusted and respected Napthine government, with a very respected Premier, versus Daniel Andrews and his crew, including the militant CFMEU, a union which he has very close ties with. But, if the polls are right, the Victorian Labor Party and Dan Andrews will be in power on Sunday.

I do love Victorians, but sometimes we Victorians have very bad memories, and we are very forgiving. But let me remind my fellow Victorians of the Victorian Labor Party's record just four years ago. Four billion dollars of Victorian taxpayers' money was spent on a massively oversized and unnecessary desalination plant, Victorians still, every single day, pay $1.8 million to pay back Labor's desalination plant—every day, $1.8 million—and it has not even produced one glass of water. This will occur for the next 27 years, and every man, woman and child in Victoria will be paying for this burden. Then we have $1.5 billion—again, Victorian taxpayers' money—wasted on the myki ticketing system—a ticketing system costing $1.5 billion. Then we have another $750 million spent on the North-South Pipeline to bring water from northern Victoria to Melbourne. Again, the pipes are going rusty—another wasted project from the former Labor state government.

And now the Victorian Leader of the Opposition wants to rip up the existing contracts for Melbourne's vital East West Link project. Can you believe that? He is going to waste $1 billion of taxpayers' money, and he is also putting in jeopardy the $3 billion promised by the Abbott government. He does not realise how important this project is to Victorians. The Victorians know it is important because they say that in every poll. It is going to create 6,700 jobs. It is going to improve freight for Victorians. It is going to be good for business. And in my electorate of La Trobe it is going to take pressure off the Monash Freeway. I already get so many local residents complaining about the traffic congestion.

On a brighter note, we do have the Napthine government and what it is promising to do. For instance, $115 million has been promised for 12 intensive-care and 12 day surgical beds at the Casey Hospital. Can I congratulate the member for Gembrook, Brad Battin, for his work in securing this funding, also, Narre Warren North candidate, Amanda Stapledon; Narre Warren South Liberal candidate, Susan Serey; and Liberal candidate for Cranbourne, Geoff Ablett, who all fought for this money.

In Narre Warren South, $266,000 will be spent on the Berwick Springs Reserve for new seating, netball courts, cricket equipment and a veranda. I again congratulate candidate Susan Serey and candidate Amanda Stapledon. And $2.5 billion will be spent on the upgrade of the Cranbourne-Pakenham train line. I always hear from the Greens that the state Liberals are spending nothing on public transport. Well, I think $2.5 billion is a lot of money to spend, and I again congratulate those local members and candidates. And $310 million has been committed to an upgrade of the intersection of the Western Port Highway and Thompsons Road. Well done, again, to candidate Geoff Ablett, candidate Amanda Stapledon, and candidate Susan Serey.

Then, we have $1.8 million being spent on the Emerald SES. Labor has not matched this funding. This is such a vital work. The Emerald SES is the busiest in the state, and I recently met with them. They have 45 volunteers doing amazing work, attending more than 1,000 turnouts per year. I again congratulate the member for Gembrook, Brad Battin, and also Liberal candidate for Monbulk, Mark Verschuur, who knows how important this project is to the Dandenong Ranges. Victorians: do not go back, continue to support the Napthine government, and vote Liberal this Saturday.