Michaelobrien.com.au - COVID-19 RESPONSE - The Nationals Victoria
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COVID-19
RESPONSE
May 2020
michaelobrien.com.au
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Dear fellow Victorians,
By working with the State and Federal Governments, we have all achieved
an extraordinary outcome in supressing COVID-19 that makes Victoria – and
Australia - the envy of the world.
We appreciate everyone who has contributed to this achievement, especially our
essential workers. You have our sincere thanks.
This achievement, however, has come at a significant cost to our local economy, our
community and to our way of life.
With COVID-19 now apparently under a measure of control, it is urgent that the
Andrews Labor Government puts in place a clear plan that enables us to take back our
Michael O’Brien MP
lives and rebuild our local communities.
Liberal Leader
Many hard lessons have been learnt from the virus outbreak; we now need to take action
to deal with these shortcomings, such as our relative lack of local manufacturing capacity.
The Liberals and Nationals have worked constructively during the virus pandemic
to provide positive suggestions, and to hold the Andrews Government to account
for its actions.
In that same constructive manner we have prepared this Plan: our positive
suggestions about what we believe should be the key priorities for the Government
in the recovery phase.
This is not a plan for the next election; Victorians can’t afford to wait that long.
This is our Plan for immediate action by the Andrews Labor Government so
that Victoria can rebuild from the damage done by COVID-19 to our jobs, our
communities and our lives.
These suggestions are necessarily bold and ambitious, because we don’t believe
that business as usual is going to be enough to secure our recovery.
Peter Walsh MP Our Plan has four themes – Securing Your Personal Finances, Rebuilding Local
The Nationals Leader Economies, Building Better Communities, and Keeping Your Family Safe.
No single political party has a mortgage on good ideas. With Victoria’s future at
stake, the Liberals and Nationals urge the Andrews Labor Government to adopt
our Plan to Get Victoria Back to Work and Back in Business.
May 2020
P2
Getting Victoria Back to Work
and Back in Business
OUR PLAN
1. SECURING YOUR
PERSONAL FINANCES
2. REBUILDING
LOCAL ECONOMIES
3. BUILDING BETTER
COMMUNITIES
4. KEEPING YOUR
FAMILY SAFE
P3 michaelobrien.com.au
COVID-19
RESPONSE Background and context
Victoria’s economy was Businesses, including restaurants, cafes, the number of jobs in Victoria decreased
food courts, pubs and clubs, cinemas, by 8.6 per cent - the worst in the nation.
already underperforming galleries, theatres and even community The Andrews Government admits Victoria’s
prior to this year’s sport were all forced to shut down. unemployment rate could increase to 11 per
cent this year which would see Victorian
bushfires and the outbreak This has had a devastating effect on
unemployment more than double and
our local economy, forcing thousands
of COVID-19. of small business closures and hundreds 400,000 Victorians unemployed.
of thousands of Victorians into the On top of the hundreds of thousands
Our unemployment rate was above the
unemployment queue. appearing on the official unemployment
national average. We were halfway to
rate, many more will face loss of income,
recession with economic growth going
backwards in the December quarter.
Unemployment spike is underemployment or a cut in hours.
The Budget was in deficit to the tune of
the worst in the nation Every Victorian who has lost their
$1.1 billion to 31 December 2019 - that According to weekly payroll jobs data job was, only a few months ago,
is, before the state faced bushfires and collected by the Australian Bureau of working and financially contributing
COVID-19. Statistics between 14 March and 18 April, to our shared prosperity.
n top of this, net
O
debt had doubled
under Labor when 12%
VIC
we were already the 11%
highest taxing state 10% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
in the nation. 9%
8%
Bright spots in the economy were
7%
testament to the hard work and ingenuity
of Victorians prepared to have a go and 6%
take financial risks to get ahead. 5%
Now, the actions taken by the Andrews
Government to address the virus have Dec Qtr Mar Qtr June Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Sep Qtr 2020*
*Andrews Government estimates
2018 2019 2019 2019 2019 2020
smashed local economies. ABS Data ABS Data ABS Data ABS Data ABS Data ABS Data
P4
The way back
The Andrews Government
must deliver.
It is the responsibility of the Andrews
Government to take strong action to
help Victoria recover, not just leave it all
to the Federal Government.
But the ability of the
Andrews Government to
properly fund an economic
recovery is compromised
by the rapid increase in That’s why Victoria has only reduced The time for rebuilding is a time for bold
one business licence fee while New and constructive ideas to transform
debt it built up before South Wales has removed twelve. Victoria into a jobs powerhouse.
COVID-19 hit. Post-COVID-19, Victoria needs a Good, well-paid and secure jobs will give
Before COVID-19, the Andrews real plan to Get Back to Work and people back the income and security that
Government had already doubled net Back in Business. is needed to rebuild their lives.
state debt.
$80 billion
Now, net debt is on track to more than
triple to $74 billion by 2021. $70 billion VIC
Despite promising no new or increased $60 billion NET DEBT
taxes, the Government has introduced 28 $50 billion
new or expanded taxes, making Victorians
the highest taxed of any Australians. $40 billion
Too much debt, too high taxes and a $30 billion
budget deficit means there is nowhere $20 billion
to move.
$10 billion
That’s why the Victorian Government
has announced less support to help
2014-15 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
businesses survive this pandemic than PEBU Forecast Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Forecast with Forecast with
has New South Wales. COVID-19
borrowing
COVID-19
borrowing
P5 michaelobrien.com.au
1. SECURING YOUR
PERSONAL FINANCES
Personal financial
security means
financial peace
of mind.
P6
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Unfortunately, household A freeze on council rates
finances have been badly The Andrews Government should
support local government to
hit by COVID-19. implement a freeze on all rates
Victoria’s unemployment could more categories for 12 months.
than double, with over 400,000
Victorians unemployed. On top of that, Real action to reduce
tens of thousands of families have seen
a reduction in take-home wages.
energy costs
Policies the Government should
To help Victorian families with their
implement to reduce energy costs
hip-pocket costs we propose:
include:
No new taxes
A one-off increase to the energy
The Andrews Government has
introduced 28 new or expanded taxes concession to $1000 per household
despite promising not to do so before in 2020-21.
it was elected. Implementing the Liberal Nationals’
The Government must not increase Zero to Landfill plan including
taxes to fund its unprecedented debt supporting new Energy From
blowout. Waste facilities to create a new, low
The Government must not increase or emission baseload energy supply
introduce any new taxes. for Victoria.
A freeze on transport fees Immediately remove the current
and charges moratorium on conventional
The Government should negotiate onshore natural gas.
with Transurban and ConnectEast
for a freeze on all toll road charges
until 1 July 2021. L
ower energy prices
All metropolitan and regional public
transport fares should be frozen at
will also help attract
current levels until 1 July 2021. new industry and
Registration payments for commercial
vehicles grounded because of
manufacturing to
COVID-19 should also be waived. our state.
P7 michaelobrien.com.au
2. REBUILDING
LOCAL ECONOMIES
COVID-19 has devastated Waive payroll tax below The Government should:
$10 million threshold Establish a $1 billion “Bringing
our local economies, Manufacturing Home” fund to
Payroll tax can be a disincentive for
with thousands of small business to hire. encourage manufacturers to locate
their facilities in Victoria.
businesses forced to shut The Andrews Government should Prioritise support for industries of
and hundreds of thousands raise the payroll tax threshold so national importance such as PPE
that businesses do not pay this tax
of jobs forecast to be lost. on the first $10 million of payroll to
manufacture, medical research,
defence procurement and rare
The loss of these mainly small businesses 30 June 2021. earths processing.
has changed the nature of our local
community for the worse. Reduce business taxes and
COVID-19 has also exposed massive excessive regulation
shortcomings in our local economy, The Government should waive fees
particularly in our lack of local and charges for businesses to 1 July
manufacturing capacity. 2021, including business licensing
fees, labour hire registration scheme
N
ow is the time for fees and place a moratorium on the
employer levy under the long service
bold action to turn leave portability scheme.
this around. The Government must also cancel
Get the employment rate back its $700 million dividend raid from
to pre-COVID-19 levels by the WorkCover and provide WorkCover
end of 2021 premium relief to businesses in
2020-21.
The Government must reduce
our unemployment rate back to Enforce statutory timeframes on
5.3 per cent (pre-COVID-19 level) State Government decision-making.
by the end of 2021.
The Andrews Government must
Bring manufacturing home
commit to delivering 10,000 to Victoria
additional apprenticeship and Over the past 20 years, the number of
traineeship commencements by manufacturing jobs in Victoria has fallen
the start of 2022. by more than 50,000.
P8
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Strengthening Victoria’s Work with the Federal Government
economic base to facilitate safe entry for
A lesson from COVID-19 shortages international students to rebuild this
is that Victoria must diversify its important sector for Victoria.
supply chain. No longer can we rely
on just four countries for half of our
Restore local small businesses
merchandise trade or any single he State Government is one of
T
country for more than a quarter of it. the biggest consumers in our economy
The Government must: and must lead the way in purchasing from
and awarding contracts to Victorian firms.
Work with the Federal Government
The Government must improve
and the business community to
unblock supply chain choke points. Victorian Government purchasing
and procurement arrangements
Refocus the London Global Victoria to include smaller suppliers, in
office toward the UK and open a new particular local suppliers in rural and
EU-facing office in Brussels. regional areas.
Expand our Global Victoria presence
The Government should also support Supporting creative industries
in Indonesia and India by June 2021.
tradies and contractors by providing Creative industries are being seriously
Work with business to diversify payments on government contracts impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
our import base to ensure we are within seven days. The cultural and creative sector
not dependent on any single employed an estimated 289,000
country for more than 15 per cent The Government should support local Victorians in 2018-19.
of our merchandise imports. government to waive permit fees on
local shopping strip businesses. The Victorian Government has
Deliver the Murray Basin Rail Project a responsibility to facilitate the
by December 2021 to revolutionise Boosting investment in recovery of this sector to pre-
supply chains in north-west Victoria. Melbourne’s CBD COVID-19 employment levels by
Build the East West Link to The Andrews Government has restricted June 2021.
connect the Eastern Freeway with the development of Melbourne’s CBD, The Government must establish
Citylink and reduce congestion on hurting opportunities for investment a $50 million Creative Industries
Melbourne’s inner-city road network. and jobs. Restoration Fund.
Expand free TAFE to make all training The Government must repeal This fund could be used to fund
free for occupations experiencing C270 to promote flexibility and events such as a 2020 Virtual
skill shortages in Victoria. employment growth. White Night.
P9 michaelobrien.com.au
2. REBUILDING
LOCAL ECONOMIES
Investing in local transport
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Establish a new $100 million
and other infrastructure Metropolitan Road and Bike Paths
Fund for smaller projects around
A
ctioning local greater Melbourne.
shovel-ready Immediately reinstate the Country
projects is essential Roads and Bridges Program.
to generate local Begin construction of other major
regional roads such as the Kilmore
jobs right now. Bypass, Princes Highway (Traralgon
The Andrews Government should to Sale) duplication, Shepparton
Kick-starting regional tourism fast-track important local transport Bypass, Ballarat Western Link Road
The Andrews Government must aim projects - to get new construction jobs (Stage 2) and Princes Highway
to return the tourism sector to June underway. In particular it must: (west of Colac) upgrade.
2019 bed night accommodation
levels by June 2021.
The Government must establish
a dedicated $200 million Regional
Tourism Fund to support country
communities.
Last year the Andrews Government
spent more than $100 million
on self-promotional advertising,
such as its multi-million dollar ‘Big
Build’ campaign. All Government
self-promotional advertising must
be scrapped and redirected into
advertising regional Victorian tourism.
The Government should also
complete projects including the
Grampians Peaks Trail, re-open the
iconic Mt Buffalo chalet and upgrade
nature based facilities to get people
back to bushfire-impacted north-east
Victoria and Gippsland.
P103. BUILDING BETTER
COMMUNITIES
Building better local The Government should aim to
reduce the elective surgery wait list
communities needs to to below the June 2019 figure of
be a priority of the 40,000 by June 2021.
recovery plan. Quality education and early
Many local services have been forced to
childhood learning
close as a result of COVID-19 and there are Our children’s schooling has been
fears that they won’t return. severely disrupted by COVID-19.
Parents and teachers have done
A
ffordable and their best but nothing replaces time
accessible hospital in the classroom.
The Andrews Government needs to
and health services, work with the Federal Government
education and to continue providing affordable
childcare and kinder once the fee-
childcare are all free period ends.
essential for strong The Government must also
communities. immediately undertake a
maintenance blitz of our public
Reduce Victoria’s elective schools to improve learning
surgery wait lists environments and clear the backlog
Victoria’s elective surgery wait lists have of school maintenance issues.
blown out to nearly 51,000 people – the All scheduled school maintenance
worst in the state’s history. spending for the next two years
‘Elective surgery’ is essential. should be brought forward into
If we don’t invest in this now, the 2020-21, with an additional
long-term detrimental effects will $10 million funded to increase and
be significant. maintain a deep cleaning program.
The Government must work to The Government should prioritise
immediately establish daily real providing local tradies and small
time reporting of all hospital wait businesses access to undertake
lists in Victoria. these works.
P11 michaelobrien.com.au3. BUILDING BETTER
COMMUNITIES
The Andrews Government should
provide $25 million for schools
to arrange catch-up classes or
schedule additional tutorials for
students who have fallen behind,
particularly for vulnerable cohorts.
Funding previously committed
by the State Government for
improvements to Independent
and Catholic schools should be
brought forward into 2020-21
and delivered by local contractors,
using local materials.
Improving our local
environment
A healthy local environment is essential Funding to Victorian Landcare
for healthy communities. must be extended and grants
should be expanded to support
The Andrews Government community organisations or
should immediately implement disability support employers to
the Liberal Nationals’ Zero to Landfill grow, plant and care for trees.
plan and prioritise investment in
shovel-ready recycling and Energy
From Waste projects. C
reating jobs
Victoria must fast-track and supporting
implementation of the Container the economy
Deposit Scheme.
through practical
The Government should commit to
plant 1 million new trees in Victoria
environmental
over the next 12 months. action.
P12COVID-19
RESPONSE
Ensuring sufficient funds for
essential services by cutting
M
aking sure
Government waste we can deliver
Now more than ever we can’t afford affordable
wasteful Government spending.
Every dollar wasted is a dollar that can’t
and accessible
be invested into essential services. hospital and
The Andrews Government health services,
is on track to more than education and
triple State Government childcare.
net debt to $74 billion.
More debt means higher interest payments
which can’t be spent on essential services
such as health and education.
The Government must establish
a cross-party parliamentary oversight
committee, with a non-government
chair and majority, to scrutinise
the Government’s unprecedented
$24.5 billion of unplanned debt spending.
The Government’s decision to cancel
parliamentary sittings in May has allowed
it to avoid scrutiny and stands in stark
contrast to other parliaments, which have
continued to sit regularly.
The Parliament should sit for the
equivalent of two weeks each
month until June 2021 to ensure
appropriate oversight and scrutiny
of Government spending.
P13 michaelobrien.com.au4. KEEPING YOUR
FAMILY SAFE
As we enter the recovery
phase, it is important that
the Government does all it
can to keep you and your
family safe.
The Government needs to tackle the causes
of crime, not just the symptoms.
With unemployment, homelessness, and
social dislocation all increasing as a result
of the lockdowns, the Andrews Government
must act to address these issues.
Supporting community The Government must commit to Reducing homelessness
well-being scrapping the Mental Health Tax.
By cutting wasteful spending and Under the Andrews Government,
Mental health issues have increased
prioritising, the Government can the public housing wait list has blown
because of the COVID-19 lockdown and
improved resources to support those adequately fund Victoria’s mental out to about 52,000 Victorians.
at risk must be prioritised. health system without adding
The Government must work
another new tax.
The Andrews Government must with industry to improve
improve access to mental health Reducing family violence housing supply and affordability
services with additional funding to Family violence is a significant concern via delivery of ‘Build to Rent’
bring Victoria’s mental health funding during times of social dislocation. residential projects.
and service access from one of the The Andrews Government should
lowest in the country to at least the increase funding to the not-for-profit The Andrews Government
national average per capita. and community sector to support their must set a target of reducing
work in family violence, homelessness the public housing wait list to
The Government must increase
and other home programs. 42,000 by June 2021.
clinical support for young people
and the acute bed rate to the
national average.
It is also essential that investment is
provided to reduce the number of
suicides in Victoria.
P14COVID-19
RESPONSE
Getting police back into The Government should bring years of the Andrews Government
local communities forward a police and emergency meant Victoria’s court system was
services infrastructure upgrade already under extreme pressure.
With crime up by 16.9 per cent under the
Andrews Government, it’s critical that program to give our hard Justice delayed is justice denied and
as we emerge from this crisis, Victorians working first responders the the Government must ensure that
see a strong and visible police presence infrastructure they deserve, while
the technology and other solutions
in their communities. supporting local builders, tradies
needed to keep the justice system
and other small businesses.
The Government must ensure that working are urgently provided.
Protective Services Officers are returned Key 24-hour police stations
such as Narre Warren, Benalla, The Government must commit
to our train stations from 6.00pm until
Prahran and Hamilton desperately to urgently needed video
last train as soon as possible.
need rebuilding while growing conferencing and other technology
The Government must urgently to keep the courts moving and
communities such as Clyde need
commit to reopening every one of
and deserve their own emergency ensure the caseload backlogs for
the recently closed police stations to
services hub to keep the 2020-2021 are no more than those
the community as soon as it is safe
community safe. in 2018-2019 in the Children’s and
to do so.
Magistrates Courts.
The Government must ensure Keeping justice moving
that booze and drug buses are back Before COVID-19 the lack of The Government must also commit
on the roads as soon as it is safe to investment in both physical and virtual to the return of jury trials as soon
do so. infrastructure under the five and a half as possible.
P15 michaelobrien.com.auCOVID-19
RESPONSE Our Plan in Summary
1.
Reduce business taxes and excessive regulation
SECURING YOUR The Government should waive fees and charges for
The Government should also support tradies and
contractors by providing payments on government
PERSONAL FINANCES businesses to 1 July 2021, including business licensing contracts within seven days.
No new taxes fees, labour hire registration scheme fees and place The Government should support local government to
The Government must not increase or introduce a moratorium on the employer levy under the long waive permit fees on local shopping strip businesses.
any new taxes. service leave portability scheme.
The Government must also cancel its $700 million Boosting investment in Melbourne’s CBD
A freeze on transport fees and charges dividend raid from WorkCover and provide The Government must repeal C270 to promote
The Government should negotiate with Transurban WorkCover premium relief to businesses in 2020-21. flexibility and employment growth.
and ConnectEast for a freeze on all toll road charges Enforce statutory timeframes on State Government
until 1 July 2021. Supporting creative industries
decision-making.
All metropolitan and regional public transport fares The Victorian Government has a responsibility to
should be frozen at current levels until 1 July 2021. Bring manufacturing home to Victoria facilitate the recovery of this sector to pre-COVID-19
Registration payments for commercial Establish a $1 billion “Bringing Manufacturing Home” employment levels by June 2021.
vehicles grounded because of COVID-19 should fund to encourage manufacturers to locate their The Government must establish a $50 million Creative
also be waived. facilities in Victoria. Industries Restoration Fund.
A freeze on council rates Prioritise support for industries of national importance
This fund could be used to fund events such as a
such as PPE manufacture, medical research, defence
The Andrews Government should support local 2020 Virtual White Night.
procurement and rare earths processing.
government to implement a freeze on all rates
Strengthening Victoria’s economic base Kick-starting regional tourism
categories for 12 months.
Work with the Federal Government and the business The Andrews Government must aim to return
Real action to reduce energy costs the tourism sector to June 2019 bed night
one-off increase to the energy concession to
A community to unblock supply chain choke points.
Refocus the London Global Victoria office toward the accommodation levels by June 2021.
$1000 per household in 2020-21.
UK and open a new EU-facing office in Brussels. The Government must establish a dedicated
Implementing the Liberal Nationals’ Zero to Landfill
Expand our Global Victoria presence in Indonesia and $200 million Regional Tourism Fund to support
plan including supporting new Energy From Waste
facilities to create a new, low emission baseload India by June 2021. country communities.
energy supply for Victoria. Work with business to diversify our import base to Last year the Andrews Government spent more
Immediately remove the current moratorium on ensure we are not dependent on any single country than $100 million on self-promotional advertising,
conventional onshore natural gas. for more than 15 per cent of our merchandise imports. such as its multi-million dollar ‘Big Build’ campaign.
Deliver the Murray Basin Rail Project by December
2.
All Government self-promotional advertising must
REBUILDING 2021 to revolutionise supply chains in north-west
Victoria.
be scrapped and redirected into advertising regional
LOCAL ECONOMIES Build the East West Link to connect the Eastern
Victorian tourism.
The Government should also complete projects
Get the employment rate back to Freeway with Citylink and reduce congestion on
including the Grampians Peaks Trail, re-open the
pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of 2021 Melbourne’s inner-city road network.
iconic Mt Buffalo chalet and upgrade nature based
The Government must reduce our unemployment Expand free TAFE to make all training free for
facilities to get people back to bushfire-impacted
rate back to 5.3 per cent (pre-COVID-19 level) by the occupations experiencing skill shortages in Victoria.
north-east Victoria and Gippsland.
end of 2021. Work with the Federal Government to facilitate
The Andrews Government must commit to delivering safe entry for international students to rebuild this Investing in local transport and
10,000 additional apprenticeship and traineeship important sector for Victoria. other infrastructure
commencements by the start of 2022. Restore local small businesses Establish a new $100 million Metropolitan Road
Waive payroll tax below $10 million threshold The Government must improve Victorian Government and Bike Paths Fund for smaller projects around
The Andrews Government should raise the payroll tax purchasing and procurement arrangements to greater Melbourne.
threshold so that businesses do not pay this tax on include smaller suppliers, in particular local suppliers Immediately reinstate the Country Roads and
the first $10 million of payroll to 30 June 2021. in rural and regional areas. Bridges Program.
P16Begin construction of other major regional roads Victoria must fast track implementation of the Reducing homelessness
such as the Kilmore Bypass, Princes Highway Container Deposit Scheme. The Government must work with industry to
(Traralgon to Sale) duplication, Shepparton Bypass, The Government should commit to plant 1 million improve housing supply and affordability via
Ballarat Western Link Road (Stage 2) and Princes new trees in Victoria in the next 12 months. delivery of ‘Build to Rent’ residential projects.
Highway (west of Colac) upgrade. The Andrews Government must set a target of
Funding to Victorian Landcare must be extended and reducing the public housing wait list to 42,000
grants should be expanded to support community
3.
by June 2021.
BUILDING BETTER organisations or disability support employers to grow,
plant and care for trees. Getting police back into local communities
COMMUNITIES Ensuring sufficient funds for essential
The Government must ensure that Protective Services
Officers are returned to our train stations from
Reduce Victoria’s elective surgery wait lists services by cutting Government waste 6.00pm until last train as soon as possible.
The Government must work to immediately The Government must establish a cross-party The Government must urgently commit to reopening
establish daily real time reporting of all hospital parliamentary oversight committee, with a non- every one of the recently closed police stations to the
wait lists in Victoria. government chair and majority, to scrutinise the community as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Government should aim to reduce the elective Government’s unprecedented $24.5 billion of The Government must ensure that booze and drug buses
surgery wait list to below the June 2019 figure of are back on the roads as soon as it is safe to do so.
unplanned debt spending.
40,000 by June 2021. The Government should bring forward a police
The Parliament should sit for the equivalent of two and emergency services infrastructure upgrade
Quality education and early childhood learning weeks each month until June 2021 to ensure appropriate program to give our hard working first responders
The Andrews Government needs to work with the oversight and scrutiny of Government spending. the infrastructure they deserve, while supporting local
Federal Government to continue providing affordable builders, tradies and other small businesses.
4.
childcare and kinder once the fee-free period ends. Key 24-hour police stations such as Narre Warren,
The Government must also immediately undertake KEEPING YOUR Benalla, Prahran and Hamilton desperately need
a maintenance blitz of our public schools to improve FAMILY SAFE rebuilding while growing communities such as Clyde
learning environments and clear the backlog of school need and deserve their own emergency services hub
maintenance issues. Supporting community well-being to keep the community safe.
All scheduled school maintenance spending for The Andrews Government must improve access to
Keeping justice moving
the next two years should be brought forward into mental health services with additional funding to bring
Justice delayed is justice denied and the Government
2020-21, with an additional $10 million funded to Victoria’s mental health funding and service access
must ensure that the technology and other solutions
increase and maintain a deep cleaning program. from one of the lowest in the country to at least the
needed to keep the justice system working are
The Government should prioritise providing local national average per capita. urgently provided.
tradies and small businesses access to undertake The Government must increase clinical support The Government must commit to urgently needed
these works. for young people and the acute bed rate to the video conferencing and other technology to keep the
The Andrews Government should provide $25 million national average. courts moving and ensure the caseload backlogs for
for schools to arrange catch-up classes or schedule It is also essential that investment is provided to 2020-2021 are no more than those in 2018-2019 in the
additional tutorials for students who have fallen reduce the number of suicides in Victoria. Children’s and Magistrates Courts.
behind, particularly for vulnerable cohorts. The Government must also commit to the return of
The Government must commit to scrapping the
Funding previously committed by the State jury trials as soon as possible.
Mental Health Tax. By cutting wasteful spending
Government for improvements to Independent and
and prioritising, the Government can adequately
Catholic schools should be brought forward into
fund Victoria’s mental health system without adding
2020-21 and delivered by local contractors, using
another new tax.
local materials.
Improving our local environment Reducing family violence
The Andrews Government should immediately The Andrews Government should increase funding to
implement the Liberal Nationals Zero to Landfill policy the not-for-profit and community sector to support
and prioritise investment in shovel ready recycling and their work in family violence, homelessness and other
energy-from-waste projects. home programs.
P17 michaelobrien.com.au“Our Plan to Get Victoria Back to Work
MICHAEL Members of the Legislative Assembly DAVID HODGETT MP
Liberal Member for Croydon
O’BRIEN MP NEIL ANGUS MP
Liberal Member for Forest Hill
Shadow Minister for Tourism,
Liberal Member for Malvern Sport and Major Events
Shadow Assistant Treasurer,
Leader of the Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs,
david.hodgett@parliament.vic.gov.au
Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
Small Business neil.angus@parliament.vic.gov.au
EMMA KEALY MP
BRAD BATTIN MP Nationals Member for Lowan
Liberal Member for Gembrook Shadow Minister for Mental
michael.obrien@parliament.vic.gov.au Shadow Minister for Roads (Metro), Health, Prevention of Family
Road Safety and TAC, Youth Justice, Violence, Women
Crime Prevention, Victim Support
PETER brad.battin@parliament.vic.gov.au
emma.kealy@parliament.vic.gov.au
WALSH MP TIM McCURDY MP
Nationals Member for GARY BLACKWOOD MP Nationals Member for Ovens Valley
Murray Plains, Leader of The Liberal Member for Narracan tim.mccurdy@parliament.vic.gov.au
Nationals, Shadow Minister Shadow Assistant Minister for Forestry
for Regional Victoria and gary.blackwood@parliament.vic.gov.au
Decentralisation, Agriculture,
Aboriginal Affairs, Bushfire
Recovery DAVID MORRIS MP
ROMA BRITNELL MP Liberal Member for Mornington
peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au Liberal Member for South-West Coast Shadow Minister for Finance,
Shadow Minister for Rural Roads, Bay Protection, Fishing and
CINDY Ports and Freight
roma.britnell@parliament.vic.gov.au
Boating, Ageing
david.morris@parliament.vic.gov.au
McLEISH MP
Liberal Member for Eildon JAMES NEWBURY MP
Deputy Leader of TIM BULL MP Liberal Member for Brighton
Nationals Member for Gippsland East
the Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Carers & Disability,
Shadow Assistant Minister for
Shadow Minister for Wastewatch, Freedom of Information
Veterans Affairs, Racing
Education, Regional Cities james.newbury@parliament.vic.gov.au
tim.bull@parliament.vic.gov.au
cindy.mcleish@parliament.vic.gov.au NEALE BURGESS MP DANNY O’BRIEN MP
Liberal Member for Hastings Nationals Member for Gippsland South
Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional
STEPH neale.burgess@parliament.vic.gov.au
Health, Ambulance Services
RYAN MP danny.obrien@parliament.vic.gov.au
Nationals Member for Euroa
Deputy Leader of The
Nationals, Shadow Minister MATTHEW GUY MP RICHARD RIORDAN MP
Liberal Member for Bulleen Liberal Member for Polwarth
for Water, Public Transport
matthew.guy@parliament.vic.gov.au Shadow Assistant Minister for
(Regional), Gaming and Regional Victoria, Agriculture
Liquor Regulation richard.riordan@parliament.vic.gov.au
steph.ryan@parliament.vic.gov.au
P18and Back in Business.”
BRAD ROWSWELL MP NICK WAKELING MP MELINA BATH MP
Liberal Member for Sandringham Liberal Member for Ferntree Gully Nationals Member for Eastern
Secretary to Shadow Cabinet, Shadow Minister for Emergency Victoria Region
Shadow Assistant Minister to the Services, Industrial Relations and Shadow Assistant Minister
Leader of the Opposition Workplace Safety, Child Protection for Public Land Use
brad.rowswell@parliament.vic.gov.au nick.wakeling@parliament.vic.gov.au melina.bath@parliament.vic.gov.au
RYAN SMITH MP KIM WELLS MP BERNIE FINN MP
Liberal Member for Warrandyte Liberal Member for Rowville Liberal Member for Western
Shadow Minister for Energy Shadow Special Minister of State, Metropolitan Region
and Renewables, Resources Shadow Minister for Counter-Terrorism, Shadow Assistant Minister
ryan.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au Manager of Opposition Business for Autism, Small Business
kim.wells@parliament.vic.gov.au bernie.finn@parliament.vic.gov.au
TIM SMITH MP WENDY LOVELL MP
Liberal Member for Kew Liberal Member for Northern
Shadow Minister for Planning Members of the Legislative Council Victoria Region
and Heritage, Local Government, wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au
Housing, Population DAVID DAVIS MP
tim.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au Liberal Member for Southern
Metropolitan Region
Leader of The Opposition in the
DAVID SOUTHWICK MP Legislative Council, Shadow Minister BEV McARTHUR MP
Liberal Member for Caulfield for Public Transport (Metro), Transport Liberal Member for Western
Shadow Minister for Police, Infrastructure, Equality, Federal-State Victoria Region
Community Safety, Corrections Relations, Priority Precincts, the Arts bev.mcarthur@parliament.vic.gov.au
david.southwick@parliament.vic.gov.au david.davis@parliament.vic.gov.au
GEORGIE CROZIER MP
LOUISE STALEY MP Liberal Member for Southern EDWARD O’DONOHUE MP
Liberal Member for Ripon Metropolitan Region Liberal Member for Eastern
Deputy Leader of The Opposition
Shadow Treasurer, in the Legislative Council, Victoria Region
Shadow Minister for Economic Shadow Minister for Health, Shadow Attorney-General
Development Ambulance Services edward.odonohue@parliament.vic.gov.au
louise.staley@parliament.vic.gov.au georgie.crozier@parliament.vic.gov.au
BILL TILLEY MP BRUCE ATKINSON MP CRAIG ONDARCHIE MP
Liberal Member for Benambra Liberal Member for Eastern Liberal Member for Northern
bill.tilley@parliament.vic.gov.au Metropolitan Region Metropolitan Region
bruce.atkinson@parliament.vic.gov.au craig.ondarchie@parliament.vic.gov.au
BRIDGET VALLENCE MP MATTHEW BACH MP GORDON RICH-PHILLIPS MP
Liberal Member for Evelyn Liberal Member for Eastern Liberal Member for South Eastern
Shadow Minister for Environment and Metropolitan Region Metropolitan Region, Shadow Minister
Climate Change, Youth Affairs matthew.bach@parliament.vic.gov.au for Innovation, Jobs and Trade, Training
bridget.vallence@parliament.vic.gov.au and Skills, Higher Education, Aviation
gordon.rich-phillips@parliament.vic.gov.au
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