Michaelobrien.com.au - UPDATE COVID-19 RESPONSE NOVEMBER
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COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
michaelobrien.com.au
COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
Victorians have endured a lot this year. We battled through the havoc of
summer bushfires and the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The effects of the pandemic have been far reaching and touched all of us in
different and profound ways. In Victoria, we now face more difficult social and
economic recovery from the pandemic than anywhere else in Australia.
Victoria needs a plan to keep our community safe from COVID-19, but at the
same time to turn our focus to getting Victorians back to work to repair the
economic damage that’s been done by the lockdowns.
The recovery will be hard, but it is an opportunity to reshape our state, rebuild
Michael O’Brien MP businesses and industries, and reclaim the Victorian way of life, which made
Liberal Leader Melbourne the most liveable place in the world.
The Victorian Liberal Nationals’ Back to Work Plan will generate new jobs
throughout the Victorian economy and return security, and the feeling of security,
to all Victorians.
This is not a plan for the next election in 2022; Victorians cannot wait that long. This is
a plan for immediate action so that Victorians can overcome their concerns about
providing for their families, meeting their mortgage and rent payments, educating their
kids, keeping healthy and protecting elderly Victorians.
Our plan will help Victoria overcome the most significant public policy failure in
Australia’s history, in which the Labor Government’s hotel quarantine breaches
and failures of Victoria’s contact tracing program, caused the social and economic
devastation of the second wave of the pandemic.
We encourage you to join us in calling on the State Government to adopt our
Peter Walsh MP plan to rebuild from the damage done to our jobs, our communities and our
The Nationals Leader way of life – from today, not after the next election.
November 2020
P2
COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
Getting Victoria Back to Work
and Back in Business
OUR PLAN
1 SECURING YOUR
FAMILY FINANCES
2 REBUILDING OPPORTUNITY
FOR LOCAL BUSINESS
3 INVESTING IN HEALTH
AND EDUCATION
4 SUPPORTING
OUR COMMUNITIES
michaelobrien.com.au P3
The damage to Victoria has been enormous
Victorians have endured a The Andrews Labor Government must
deliver change. It cannot continue to
certainty that the mistakes that caused
expansive lockdowns and shutdowns will not
period of extreme social deliver the same old thinking and expect be repeated.
dislocation, with some a better result.
The plan must assist businesses of all
of the longest and most VICTORIA NEEDS A PLAN sizes to recover. This means providing
TO REBUILD OUR LIVES AND job-creating industries, targeted policy
draconian lockdown LIVELIHOODS support and investment to revitalise and
create new opportunity – whether in
measures imposed The Andrews Labor Government must
hospitality, manufacturing, construction,
provide a detailed plan to rebuild Victorian
anywhere in the world. jobs and livelihoods.
education or tourism.
The plan must also support new infrastructure
Our kids have fallen behind at school, and The Government cannot merely aim for pre-
builds that generate new jobs and economic
the physical and mental health of Victorians COVID levels of economic performance and
growth - affordable housing, transport
has taken a battering. government program delivery. That weak
connections, and development of cheap, clean
goal would leave us permanently behind
Industries have been smashed by and reliable energy.
other states which are already rebuilding.
indiscriminate restrictions, and hundreds of To ensure Victorians are delivered the
thousands of Victorians have lost their job We need a new plan to rebuild a stronger
recovery they need, the government must end
or had their hours substantially reduced. and better performing Victoria.
its dangerous reliance on emergency powers,
Poorly targeted and inconsistent rules have The plan must restore business confidence commit to regular Parliament sittings two
prevented thousands of Victorian small and investment, generate new growth and weeks each month, and adopt this plan to get
employment opportunity, and provide Victoria Back to Work and Back in Business.
businesses and sole traders from safely
making a living. Many will not survive.
While Victoria has continued to fall behind,
VICTORIA CONTINUES TO FALL BEHIND
residents of other states like New South IN JOB CREATION
Wales have resumed more normal life and -10,000 (job losses per million employed before COVID-19) Recovering
already made progress recovering their lives -20,000 NSW
and livelihoods.
-30,000
The Victorian Treasury has forecast up
to 325,000 job losses this year. With the -40,000
Victorian economy in recession since before -50,000 Declining
the COVID pandemic and state government -60,000
debt forecast to almost triple – to cover VIC
project blowouts and black holes – we have -70,000
a difficult road to recovery ahead. Mar 2020 Apr 2020 May 2020 Jun 2020 Jul 2020 Aug 2020 Sep 2020
P4
Staying on target to COVID-19
RESPONSE
ensure our recovery NOVEMBER
UPDATE
It’s vital to know whether our state is on track to achieve the economic and social recovery that Victoria
needs. These targets will be set and tracked for Victorians on our COVID-19 Recovery Community
Dashboard which can be accessed here: www.michaelobrien.com.au/covid-dashboard
JOBS YOUTH JOBS SKILLS & TRAINING
Create 380,000 Restore 143,000 Deliver 57,000 apprenticeship and
new jobs by youth jobs by 1 traineeship commencements in
1 July 2022 January 2022 the year to 31 March 2022
TAXES SMALL BUSINESS MENTAL HEALTH
No new or Deliver continued business Reduce the annual number of
increased growth in Victoria with mental health-related emergency
taxes 704,000 small businesses department presentations below
operating by 1 July 2022 90,000 by 1 January 2022
HEALTH EDUCATION COMMUNITY SAFETY
Elective surgery wait 10 per cent more students above Reduce youth crimes against
list reduced to 39,000 the bottom 3 bands of NAPLAN the person to December
people by 1 January 2022 in literacy and numeracy by 2022 2014 levels by 1 July 2022
michaelobrien.com.au P5
1 SECURING YOUR
FAMILY FINANCES
ersonal financial
P
security means
financial peace
of mind.
P6
COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
Cost of living pressures Work with the Federal Government to
provide affordable childcare so that
have been getting every parent, and particularly every
progressively tougher, woman, who is offered work is able to
accept it.
with COVID-19 suddenly Implement the Liberal Nationals’ Zero
and drastically making to Landfill plan to create a new, low
emissions baseload energy supply
things much worse. for Victoria.
Immediately remove the current
Victoria’s unemployment is through moratorium on conventional
the roof and job losses could reach onshore natural gas, and fast-track
more than 325,000 by the end of 2020. the development of new natural
On top of that, tens of thousands of gas production.
families have experienced a reduction Freeze all household water and
in take-home wages. sewerage charges until 30 June 2022.
Scrap the 60 per cent increase to the
No new taxes Landfill Levy.
The Andrews Government has
introduced 28 new or expanded taxes Transport fees and charges
despite promising not to do so before it Freeze all toll road charges with
was elected. Transurban and ConnectEast until
30 June 2022. Waive registration payments for
There must not be any increased or
Freeze all metropolitan and commercial vehicles grounded
new taxes to fund the Government’s because of restrictions, and allow
V/Line public transport fares until
unprecedented debt blowout. private vehicle registrations to be
30 June 2022
Real action to reduce Free public transport for school paused for up to 12 months.
household bills and university students until 1 Half price registration to all P-plate
January 2022. drivers until 30 June 2022.
Freeze all local government rates
until 30 June 2022 with funding
support from the Andrews
Government. reate 380,000 new jobs by 1 July 2022 to
C
A one-off increase to the energy make up for those that have been lost.
concession to $1000 per household
until 1 January 2022.
michaelobrien.com.au P7
2 REBUILDING OPPORTUNITY
FOR LOCAL BUSINESS
he State Government’s
T
gross negligence has
smashed small businesses
and sole traders, and
many will never recover.
They are paying an
enormous personal
cost for the Andrews
Labor Government’s
incompetence.
Urgent support is required for these
businesses whether they are in general
retail, hairdressers and beauty services,
gyms, landscape gardeners, or local cafés
to survive this year and recover through
2021 and beyond. aise the payroll tax threshold so businesses
R
Young Victorians have been particularly
impacted, with more than 143,000
do not pay this tax on the first $10 million of
Victorians under 25 out of work since the payroll to 30 June 2022.
start of 2020. Youth unemployment now
exceeds 14 per cent. Now is the time for accessed free TAFE but now need to
bold action to turn this around. Deliver 57,000 apprenticeship
and traineeship commencements retrain in a different industry where
Get the employment rate back to in the year to 31 March 2022 and demand and opportunity exists.
pre-COVID-19 levels provide retraining scholarships for Expand free TAFE to make all training
Create 380,000 new jobs by people of all ages looking to re-skill free for occupations experiencing skill
1 July 2022 to make up for those in priority areas. shortages in Victoria.
that have been lost (based on Expand pre-apprenticeship Clear the backlog of TAFE
September ABS statistics). programs and promote greater students waiting to complete
Labor must commit to restoring the participation of women in trades. work placements or practical
143,000 jobs young Victorians have Free TAFE should be extended assessments to demonstrate
lost by 1 January 2022. to people who have previously competency by 30 June 2021.
P8
COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
stablish a $1 billion “Bringing Manufacturing
E
Home” fund to encourage manufacturers to
locate their facilities in Victoria.
Cut employment taxes and manufacture, medical research,
defence procurement, pharmaceuticals
charges for businesses
and rare earths processing.
Raise the payroll tax threshold so
Invest in a “Victorian Made”
businesses do not pay this tax on marketing campaign, to showcase
the first $10 million of payroll to the quality and benefits of locally
30 June 2022. produced goods and services.
Freeze fees and charges for
Strengthen Victoria’s improving change identified during
businesses to 30 June 2022,
economic base lockdown restrictions.
including business licensing fees,
and labour hire registration scheme Diversify our import base to ensure Support improved access to seed
we are not dependent on any single funding for startups.
fees and place a moratorium on
country for more than 15 per cent of
the employer levy under the long our goods imports. Expand Global Victoria in emerging
service leave portability scheme. economies throughout South-
Develop an international student
Provide WorkCover premium relief east Asia, India and Africa by
recommencement plan to return
to businesses to 30 June 2022. substantially increasing Victoria’s
international students (tertiary and
outbound trade opportunities by
Bring manufacturing home secondary) to study in Victoria.
June 2021.
to Victoria Support increased commercialisation
Ensure Victoria is getting the
Under successive Labor Governments between research institutions and
best representation in ongoing
over the past 20 years, the number industry in Victoria.
negotiations for the Australia-UK
of manufacturing jobs in Victoria has Launch a $100 million Science Free Trade Agreement.
fallen by more than 50,000. and Technology Innovation grants
program to create new opportunities Restore local small businesses
Establish a $1 billion “Bringing for the scientific and business and sole traders
Manufacturing Home” fund to community to collaborate in 2020-21. Discount local government
encourage manufacturers to locate Re-introduce innovation vouchers rates and permit fees for small
their facilities in Victoria. for Victorian businesses to businesses until 30 June 2022,
Prioritise support for industries of adopt new innovations and with funding from the Victorian
national importance such as PPE take advantage of productivity Government.
michaelobrien.com.au P9
2 REBUILDING OPPORTUNITY
FOR LOCAL BUSINESS
Overhaul the Victorian Government’s Connecting regional Victoria Deliver the Murray Basin Rail
onerous turnover caps for small Project in full by December 2022 to
Immediately reinstate the Country
construction companies applying for revolutionise supply chains in north-
Roads and Bridges Program.
government tenders. west Victoria.
Begin construction of other major
Prioritise Victorian Government Provide $10 million for the
regional roads such as the Kilmore
purchasing and procurement from agricultural sector to digitise supply
Bypass, Shepparton Bypass,
local suppliers. chains in order to unlock new trade
Gippsland Princes Highway
Make payment on government duplication, Ballarat Western opportunities and provide a faster
contracts within seven days. Link Road (Stage 2) and Princes flow of money for our farmers.
Streamline red tape and enforce Highway (west of Colac) upgrade.
statutory timeframes on Victorian
Government decision-making.
Boost investment and housing
affordability in Melbourne
Repeal C270 to promote flexibility
and employment growth.
Allow purchasers of new builds in
2020-21 to defer payment of stamp
duty until 30 June 2022.
Open up the HomeBuilder scheme to
more Victorians by paying the grant
upfront for new builds, allowing more
Victorians to use it as a deposit on
building a new home.
Remove the cladding levy for any
project that has 85 per cent or more
local content until 30 June 2022.
Work with industry to deliver 50,000
new homes under ‘Build to Rent’
projects, with 10 per cent of these to
be provided as public housing.
Release additional residential land for
new housing developments.
P10COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
rovide $400 million to develop and upgrade
P
tourist attractions across Victoria in 2021.
Kick-start Victorian tourism Restore domestic and international
Establish a dedicated $300 million air services to Avalon Airport as
Victorian Tourism Fund to support soon as possible.
tourism operators in country Complete tourism infrastructure
communities to recover and projects including the Grampians
promote local tourism. Peaks Trail, the Twelve Apostles
Establish ‘Road Trip for Victoria’ Visitor Centre, Warburton
vouchers offering Victorians a Mountain Bike Destination, save
50 per cent discount up to $200 the Cape Otway Lighthouse, and
on tours or accommodation when upgrade nature-based facilities
booking three nights or more, to to get people back to bushfire-
stimulate Victorian tourism. impacted north-east Victoria
and Gippsland.
Ensure state borders reopen for
interstate visitors as soon as possible. Undertake urgent reform to
streamline statutory planning
Scrap all Government self-
approvals processes for tourism
promotional advertising and
projects that deliver regional jobs.
redirect into advertising Victorian
tourism. Investing in transport
Provide $400 million to develop infrastructure for Melbourne
and upgrade tourist attractions Immediately commence
across Victoria in 2021 and fast- infrastructure projects where
track community supported private planning and business cases
investment in tourism infrastructure exist, and federal money is
on private land. available and allocated including
Return the tourism sector to the East West Link, Calder Park
December 2019 bed night Drive upgrade, Jetty Road
accommodation levels by the end overpass in Rosebud, and
of 2021. Frankston Rail Line electrification.
michaelobrien.com.au P112 REBUILDING OPPORTUNITY
FOR LOCAL BUSINESS
Provide additional funding to
immediately advance planning
works for the construction of
Rowville Rail.
Fast-track development of the
Melbourne Airport Rail project.
Commence upgrades of Southern
Cross Station and Flinders Street
Station where opportunity and
plans exist to immediately progress
projects with the private sector.
Establish a new $200 million
Metropolitan Road and Bike Paths
Fund for smaller projects around
greater Melbourne. $20 million for a Regional Victorian Art Establish a $100 million Creative
Trail Fund with supported infrastructure Industries Restoration Fund to help
Support events and hospitality and COVID-safe plans. our world-class music and arts thrive
Launch an ‘Eat out for Victoria’ Facilitate the recovery of the creative in a COVID-normal world.
program for a period of four weeks industries sector, which has lost tens
as soon as dine-in restaurants are of thousands of jobs, to pre-COVID-19
permitted to operate at a COVID employment levels by 1 January 2022.
normal capacity. This would subsidize
50 per cent of bills up to a maximum
of $20 per person. he “Eat Out for
T
Support the events industry by
developing a proactive plan to
Victoria” proposal is
get small and large events up and just what our pubs and
running again as soon as possible
with supported COVID safe plans
restaurants need to get
and infrastructure. up and going after the
Provide $50 million towards lockdowns.
attracting new events for Melbourne
and Regional Victoria that appeal PAUL DIMATTINA, Lamaro’s
to the Australian market, and Hotel, South Melbourne
P12COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
Our plan focuses
on generating
new jobs and
rebuilding our
economy to be
the strongest
and most diverse
in Australia.
michaelobrien.com.au P133 INVESTING IN HEALTH
AND EDUCATION
The Victorian Government
must manage the threat
of COVID-19, while
providing Victorians with
the opportunity to resume
living in a ‘COVID-normal’
environment until there is
a vaccine.
Victoria’s elective surgery wait list had
blown out past record levels in March and
is now worse than ever. On top of this other
Victorians are stuck on the ‘hidden waitlist’,
and many have deferred treatment due to
Make Victoria self-sufficient, Provide stronger support and better
government restrictions.
ensuring we have adequate supplies partnerships with providers in aged
The social dislocation of lockdown has of personal protective equipment, care, mental health and disability
caused a significant increase in mental ventilators and essential medical sectors and strengthen provision of
health issues experienced by Victorians. equipment in preparation for any services in community health.
Improved resources to support those at risk future health crisis.
must be prioritised. Split the current Department
Fast-track the building of new of Health and Human Services
Our children’s schooling has been severely and upgraded community into separate Health and Human
disrupted by the pandemic. Parents and hospitals previously committed Services departments.
teachers have done their best but nothing to, in metropolitan Melbourne and
replaces time in the classroom. A serious throughout Regional Victoria. Establish a permanent state
plan for catch-up is needed or a whole committee of health experts,
generation of young Victorians face a Increase funding to the Victorian similar to the Australian Health
wasted year. Infectious Disease Centre at Royal
Protection Principal Committee,
Melbourne Hospital to guarantee
to monitor all major global and
A stronger health system best practice in confronting this and
local health threats, and provide
Commit to ongoing rapid testing future pandemics.
regular reports to government on
for health services, aged care, and Provide additional funding to ensure appropriate responses.
other sectors where a high risk of medical research for cancer and other
COVID-19 transmission exists. chronic diseases is not left behind.
P14COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
Return the elective surgery wait list
to 39,000 people by 1 January 2022.
A
dditional funding to bring Victoria’s Return wait-times for general
mental health funding and service to at dental to pre COVID-19 levels by
1 January 2022.
least the national average.
Review the impact of deferred
treatment for chronic disease on
Support mental health and Increase the number of mental
individuals and the health system.
community well-being health outreach support services.
Provide extra funding to Quality education and early
Expand the Hospital Outreach
bring Victoria’s mental health childhood learning
Post-suicidal Engagement initiative
funding and service to at least Immediately commence intensive
the national average. to additional hospitals across
Victoriain 2021. catch-up classes and small-group
Increase clinical support for young tutoring focused on literacy and
people and the acute bed rate to the Scrap the proposed Mental Health Tax. numeracy, with all necessary
national average. additional assessment and
Reduce Victoria’s healthcare
Immediately improve access to curricular support resources made
wait lists
mental health services. available to schools to ensure
Develop and implement a detailed Set and publish targets for referral to students are catching up as quickly
strategy to mitigate harm caused by treatment times so Victorians know as possible.
lockdown and its residual impact on how long they’ll actually be waiting
Provide dedicated mental health
the mental health of Victorians. for elective surgery.
practitioners to all state primary
schools in 2021 to ensure quick and
reliable access to support.
Provide $7 million for education
support agencies to expand their
literacy and numeracy skill-building
programs and well-being support
services in high-needs areas.
michaelobrien.com.au P153 INVESTING IN HEALTH
AND EDUCATION
Provide vouchers for primary school kids
to participate in educational, creative or
sporting activity programs over summer
so they have the opportunity to be both
social and active during the break.
Work with outdoor education, camps
providers and alpine resorts to offer
3-5 day camps in January 2021 for
children who have suffered socially and
emotionally and provide incentives to
schools booking camps in term 1.
Accelerate the roll out of 15 hours of
Funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten
to all areas of Victoria.
Work with the Federal Government to
provide affordable childcare that includes
extended hours care for all kindergartens.
Immediately undertake a maintenance
blitz of government schools.
All funding previously committed for
improvements to Independent and
Catholic schools should be brought
forward and delivered by local contractors,
using local materials.
It’s so important that
our kids have the
chance to catch up
after the disruption Immediately commence intensive catch-up
of this year. classes and small-group tutoring focused on
literacy and numeracy.
SARA JOHNSON, Hampton
P164
COVID-19
SUPPORTING RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
OUR COMMUNITIES UPDATE
With the severe economic
damage and social
disruption caused by
lockdowns, Victoria needs
a proactive approach to
support our communities,
protect the vulnerable and
improve quality of life for all.
Support Victorians relocating
to regional Victoria
Provide a $250 million fund to assist
businesses and government agencies Probus, multicultural seniors’ groups to support their work in family
to permanently transform their and U3As to defeat isolation. violence, homelessness and other
operations to allow their staff to work home programs.
Boost capital works upgrades for
from home more often and live where public aged care facilities to make
they want to.
Improve our local environment
sure all have single rooms and
Immediately implement the Liberal
Abolish regional payroll tax to ensuites to help stop the spread of
Nationals’ Zero to Landfill plan to
30 June 2022 to encourage more infectious disease such as COVID-19.
boost recycling and use waste as an
businesses to move operations into Reduce the social housing wait list energy source.
the regions. to 42,000 by 1 January 2022. Victoria must fast-track
Establish a process for local Increase funding to the not-for- implementation of the Container
government areas adjacent to profit and community sector Deposit Scheme.
metropolitan Melbourne to be
reclassified as regional Victoria.
Community services for bolish regional payroll tax to 30 June 2022 to
A
vulnerable Victorians encourage more businesses to move operations
Provide $10 million for reboot grants into the regions.
to senior citizens’ clubs, including
michaelobrien.com.au P174 SUPPORTING
OUR COMMUNITIES
Plant 1 million new trees in Victoria
a year over the next two years. $100 Sports and Recreation Participation
More funding to Victorian Landcare, vouchers for eligible all Victorian primary and
and grants should be expanded to secondary school students.
support community organisations
and disability support employers to
school students to claim as a
grow, plant and care for trees.
discount on local sport and
Clubs like ours have battled
Support local sport and recreation recreation membership fees when this year. Grants like those
registering with a sporting club,
Grants of up to $50,000 to dance school, learn to swim or proposed by the Liberal &
grassroots clubs to assist recovery
following the losses caused by
other recreation providers before 1
January 2022.
Nationals is just what we
lockdowns.
Matched funding of up to $1 need to get going.
$100 Sports and Recreation million to any grassroots club to
Participation vouchers for all commence capital works projects TEENA JOHNSON,
Victorian primary and secondary prior to 31 December 2021. Morwell Bowls club
P18COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
UPDATE
Get police back into local Keep justice moving
communities Provide $10 million for VCAT
Ensure that Protective Services to undertake a case blitz by
Officers are returned to our train employing temporary tribunal
stations from 6.00pm until last train members to tackle case backlogs
as soon as possible. and return listing times to normal.
Urgently reopen every one of Urgently implement video
the recently closed police stations conferencing and other technology
to the community as soon as it is to keep the courts moving and
safe to do so. ensure the caseload backlogs for
2020-2021 are no more than those
Bring forward police and emergency in 2018-2019 in the Children’s and
services infrastructure upgrade Magistrates Courts.
programs to give our hard working Return of jury trials as soon as
first responders the infrastructure possible.
they deserve, while supporting
local builders, tradies and other
small businesses.
Rebuild key 24-hour police e are focused on
W
stations such as Narre Warren,
Benalla, Prahran and Hamilton, tackling the causes
and prioritise new emergency of crime not just the
services infrastructure for growing
communities. symptoms.
michaelobrien.com.au P19Liberal Party The Nationals Victoria
evel 12
L evel 9, Suite 908
L
257 Collins Street 343 Little Collins Street
Melbourne Vic 3000 Melbourne Vic 3000
03 9654 2255 03 9600 1424
libs@vic.liberal.org.au vic@nationals.org.au
vic.liberal.org.au vic.nationals.org.au
Authorised by S McQuestin, Level 12, 257 Collins St, Melbourne 3000
Printed by Fishprint, 447 Nepean Highway, Brighton East 3187
No taxpayer funds were used in the production of this material.
COVID-19
RESPONSE
NOVEMBER
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