This week in State Parliament – 25 June 2015

This week in State Parliament, Liberal and National MPs opposed the terms of Labor’s current Port of Melbourne lease proposal, which deliberately seeks to lock out competition and will require Port Phillip Bay heads to be blasted if the next generation of container ships are to reach the port.

We also amended the government’s legislation imposing new stamp duty and land tax on overseas property buyers, to prevent the Treasurer from giving secret exemptions to some property developers. The Legislative Council’s amendments will require details of any exemptions to be made public.

The Coalition continued to question the terms of the investigations ordered by the Premier into Minister Adem Somyurek and his office, and whether the investigations would be fair to all concerned or were simply designed to enable the Premier to get rid of a factional enemy.

We also highlighted the impacts of the government’s $6.4 billion cut to infrastructure spending on rural and regional Victoria, including schools, public transport, roads and community infrastructure.

As well, the Coalition called on the government to investigate the effects of a Court of Appeal decision that may open the way for rapists, child abusers and other serious offenders to be released on community correction orders.