Friday, 28 August 2026

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:08): (1453) My question is to the Minister for Finance. Premier Carroll recently declared that he respects taxpayers money and ordered a halt to non-essential spending, including a $70 million cut to external consultants and advisers over the next four years. Minister, the Suburban Rail Loop Authority spent $466,950 on three concurrent contracts with different consultants for executive recruitment services. Is this what your government considers respecting taxpayers money?

Jaclyn Symes: On a point of order, President, I am just pointing out that Mr Mulholland’s question should be directed to the Minister for Public Transport. When departments engage consultants, it is a matter for ministers within that department and their various responsibilities. The Minister for Finance would not be responsible for those contracts.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Mulholland, would you be happy to refer it to PT?

Evan Mulholland: On the point of order, President, this is an announcement that the minister actually made today and has spoken on today. It is in a government media release, so it is therefore entirely within his portfolio. If he, according to official government media releases, has responsibility for consultants and trimming back consultants and speaking on consultants, then surely it is firmly within the purview of the Minister for Finance, given he has already been speaking on it, to answer questions on it.

The PRESIDENT: I take Minister Symes’s point of order, and I have said before that a member has a right to ask any minister a question as they see fit, and the minister may give an answer if it is not inside their remit. That is the answer, but I will put the question to the minister.

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Finance, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Government Services) (12:10): I thank Mr Mulholland for that question. I do agree with Minister Symes that substantively the question is addressed to the Minister for Public Transport, but as the Minister for Finance and insofar as it relates to my portfolios I will say that it is another demonstration of the new direction under Premier Carroll and his commitment to frugal fiscal management. We have a fiscal plan. We are the only jurisdiction that is running surplus budgets, and we are doing it whilst committing to and supporting infrastructure spend, including a range of rail and road and hospital infrastructure.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Enver ERDOGAN: Ms Crozier, you know the new Frankston Hospital and Footscray Hospital are world-class hospitals. These are the kinds of investments that our government is committed to doing, and we are doing that because of our sound fiscal management. And I did make an announcement on behalf of the Premier this morning about a commitment to further making up to $70 million in savings from consultants, but those consultants are the responsibility of each respective department. As Minister for Finance I am proud of that disciplined approach that we are taking, and I support that. So I was proud to announce that on behalf of the Premier.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:11): Minister, given reports that VicTrack recently spent an eye-watering $187,000 on an external job hunt, only to end up appointing an internal candidate, do the government consulting cuts also include ludicrous executive search contracts?

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Finance, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Government Services) (12:12): I thank Mr Mulholland for the supplementary question. I think the Premier has been quite clear. He has written to all the ministers. If you could see his press release today – I am sure you check the Premier’s press releases regularly – he has been very clear in his expectation that there needs to be a more sensitive approach. We respect taxpayer dollars – every dollar counts. And whether that be on unnecessary office expenditure, like artwork, like plaques, the Premier has been clear on his direction, and expenditure on consultants is one of them. We know we have already taken significant steps, but we are going to go even further. A further $70 million worth of savings will be made. We are going to be backing our public service –

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, on relevance, President, I did ask whether the government’s consulting cuts would also include ludicrous executive search contracts, and the minister has not yet answered that question.

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister has been relevant to his portfolio. Minister, if you would like to continue.

Enver ERDOGAN: President, I will take your guidance. That is right; I think the questions about specific portfolio expenditures, and you gave a specific entity there, would be for the responsible minister in that portfolio. But as the finance minister I was proud to announce the Premier’s guidance to all ministers, and all departments in fact, that we need to be more prudent with the use of external experts. We are backing our public service, who are experts in the field and will be supporting us.