The Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP has spoken in parliament on the multitude of broken promises by the Baillieu Government.
Ms Tierney said that the Baillieu Government went to the November election promising families that a Coalition government would keep the cost of living pressure down.
“However, like all Victorians are seeing day after day after day, this is yet another Baillieu Government promise being squandered, shredded and shunted out the back door.
“Documents released under FOI show that Treasurer Kim Wells has failed to request even one briefing from the Department on ways which the Baillieu Government might reduce the cost of living.
“Not only is the Mr Baillieu doing nothing to reduce the cost of living, he has called for restraint in the minimum wage case currently before Fair Work Australia and made the comment that the minimum wage not be set too high.
“Rather than keeping the cost of living down, Mr Baillieu is advocating to keep wages as low as possible for out lowest paid workers,” Ms Tierney said.
Ted Baillieu is also pushing for the minimum casual shift to be cut from 3 hours to one and a half hours, attacking every young Victorian worker.
Ms Tierney also mentioned the promise made by Mary Wooldridge, Minister for Community Services in the Baillieu Government, that there would be a community sector wage increase.
Speaking on the subject before the November election in an interview with the Victorian Council of Social Service regarding the Women’s pay case to Fair Work Australia, Ms Wooldridge said:
“We’ve been very clear: we’ll be making financial commitments in our policies in relation to supporting that claim and if it’s more than that, then we will be funding and supporting it”
It was later revealed that there would be a “gap” in this funding.
Ms Tierney also raised the Baillieu Government’s promise of making Victorian Teachers the highest paid in Australia.
“Mr Baillieu promised teachers they would be the highest paid in the country under a Coalition Government, now Mr Baillieu offers our teachers a measly 2.5 percent increase,
“This government has hoodwinked the electorate and continually demonstrates how disingenuous it is when it comes to the real needs and aspirations for Victorians” Ms Tierney said.
