Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (12:04): I am delighted to participate in today’s procedural debate. The heavy-lifting member for Eildon strikes again – her stats are right up there – but we are going to have to talk about what we are doing today, and I support that we get on with debating the State Taxation Acts Amendment Bill 2023.

I want to thank the Treasurer and his ministerial office for the work that they have been doing to bring in this bill, which is to amend the Duties Act 2000, the Fire Services Property Levy Act 2012, the Land Tax Act 2005, the Payroll Tax Act 2007, the Planning and Environment Act 1987, the Subdivision Act 1988, the Taxation Administration Act 1997 and the Valuation of Land Act 1960 and for other purposes.

I come from a regional community, and I come here to do the work. I come here to do the work for my community. I leave my family, I leave my kids – I am missing the year 9 social tomorrow night, but they will be right – because I want to do the work here for my community and this state, and debating this bill is about doing the work.

We know there are constitutional requirements in this state to allow the other place to look through this as well, to have scrutiny and to have the opportunity to debate this bill, and that is what we are doing today. We are moving forward and governing for Victorians and bringing debate on rather than messing about with procedure. We are not compromising the members of this place.

This is my fifth budget, which I am really proud of, with some really great things for my community, delivering on all our election commitments in full for Ballarat and for the electorate of Wendouree, and I will be talking about that at length because I am going to get 15 minutes on my feet in the budget take-note motion. Every single person in this house will be given that opportunity.

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, it is a very narrow procedural debate. I ask you to bring the member for Wendouree back to the matter at hand.

Sarah Connolly: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, we have been sitting here now for quite some time watching the opposition consistently interject with irrelevant points of order. The member was being entirely relevant to the procedural debate here before the house this afternoon. Can I suggest she just keep on getting on with it. You are doing a great job.

James Newbury: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, I have heard the point of order from both previous members and I would say it is a tight procedural debate. Though I am sure that we are all looking forward to the member’s contribution on the take-note motion, this is not the take-note motion. I ask you to bring the member back to the question.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is a tight procedural debate that has become somewhat less tight since we started. The member to continue, please, on the procedural debate.

Juliana ADDISON: Absolutely. I referred to the former speaker, the member for Eildon, talking about history. Maybe we need to go back to ancient Rome for a bit of history about filibustering, about trying to obstruct and about trying to frustrate process rather than actually getting on with the job. When we heard the commentary in another procedural debate earlier from the member for Gippsland South, describing chaos and things that are out of order –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, this debate is in no way in relation to the question before us, and I would ask you to bring the member back, again, to the question.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member to return to the procedural motion.

Juliana ADDISON: It is clear that we are getting on with the business of governing. It is clear that we are getting on with the business of wanting to move forward with bills in this house. I am not going to waste any more time. There is enough filibustering going on; there is enough frustrating of the process going on.

I will be supporting the Treasurer and supporting people in this chamber to get on with the state taxation bill.

You can take a look at more of my speeches to Parliament here.