The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has criticised Minister for Industrial Relations, Jaclyn Symes following this week’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings, accusing the Allan Labor Government of avoiding accountability over Big Build blowouts and allegations of CFMEU-linked misconduct.
Ms Benham said the hearings raised serious concerns about the Government’s willingness to answer questions relating to billions of taxpayer dollars lost and allegations of misconduct on taxpayer-funded worksites.
“Victorians expect ministers to answer questions honestly and transparently, especially when billions of taxpayer dollars and serious allegations of misconduct are involved.”
Ms Benham said Victorians were watching a pattern of evasion rather than transparency, particularly when it came to questions about the scale of corruption allegations linked to major projects and the Government’s handling of repeated allegations of misconduct on taxpayer-funded worksites.
During questioning, the Minister repeatedly declined to provide direct answers on matters relating to alleged misconduct, governance standards on major projects, and whether sufficient safeguards were in place to protect taxpayers from waste and inappropriate conduct.
“Instead of providing straight answers, we saw avoidance and deflection on issues that go to the heart of public trust in how billions of dollars are being spent,” Ms Benham said.
“These are serious allegations and Victorians expect transparency, accountability and answers from Government.
“Every dollar lost to corruption, waste and blowouts is a dollar not being spent on roads, hospitals, schools and essential services in regional Victoria.”
