My question is to the Premier. Sacked Country Fire Authority (CFA) chair, John Peberdy, says the enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) endorsed by your cabinet will cost between $600 million and $700 million over the next four years. Premier, can you guarantee that the total cost of this EBA will not exceed $160 million over four years, as your government has claimed?
Mr ANDREWS (Premier) — I thank the member for South-West Coast for her question. The answer to her question is yes.
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! The member for Gembrook and the member for Nepean! The member for Gembrook is warned. The member for South-West Coast is entitled to a supplementary question and to be heard in silence. The member, to proceed.
Ms BRITNELL (South-West Coast) — Premier, given the wild disparity in the cost estimates for this EBA, will you agree to provide all of Treasury’s costings together with the CFA costings to the Auditor-General so that all Victorians can see the true cost of your deal with Peter Marshall?
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition!
Mr ANDREWS (Premier) — I thank the member for South-West Coast for her question. She is right to say that there has been a wild disparity in cost estimates. I think the person she referenced earlier, at one moment he was telling it was a $1.2 billion cost and then it was a $600 million cost. With the greatest respect to him and to the questioner, the government gets its costings advice from the Department of Treasury and Finance. That is who provides the advice. It were not often called to provide that advice to those opposite because they never reached agreement with their workforce. Whether it was ambulance, nurses, teachers, there were so many disputes and never a resolution.
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! The member for Warrandyte will succinctly make a point of order and desist from engaging with government members, and government members will act accordingly. The member for Warrandyte on a point of order, in silence.
Mr R. Smith — On a point of order, Speaker, the question was very narrow. It was simply whether the Premier would allow the costings to be sent to the Auditor-General or not. He should answer that question.
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER — Order! The Premier, to continue. There is no point of order at this stage.
Mr ANDREWS — As far as information available to the Auditor-General, I would simply inform the questioner and all honourable members that the Auditor-General is independent. The Auditor-General can seek whatever documents he sees fit to seek, and the government will fully cooperate with any and all audits conducted by the Auditor-General.
