Victoria: One Nation state leader Warren Pickering pledges open books despite costings secrecy
One Nation has pitched itself as the party of transparency despite refusing to tell voters how much its policies will cost ahead of a state election.
One Nation has pledged to bring Victoria’s finances “out of the dark” despite refusing to release its own pre-election policy costings.
Appearing alongside Pauline Hanson, state party leader Warren Pickering on Monday announced plans to track all state expenditure on a public website if elected in November.
The website would also host all cabinet documents within 30 days of their final consideration, as pledged by the minor party in October.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mr Pickering said transparency would “no longer be optional” under his premiership.
But he confirmed that transparency would not extend to the costings of policies announced by the minor party.
“The policy costings we have done, we are not publishing,” he told reporters outside state parliament.
Mr Pickering said he would not join Labor and the coalition in making use of the Parliamentary Budget Office, to which all have access for costings.
He said there were “great people” within the non-partisan body, but stressed their projections could not be trusted.
“When has one of their cost projections been accurate in the last decade?
“We won’t be engaging in that until we have an opportunity to blow the books open ourselves.”
Also on Monday, the coalition unveiled a pledge to add 335 fire trucks to the state’s ageing rural and regional fleets.
The $200 million commitment would also fund 17 new or upgraded Country Fire Authority stations, more targeted volunteer recruitment and an ombudsman to advocate for volunteers.
In October, the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office estimated fire authorities would face a more than $1 billion funding shortfall by 2033-34.
The audit found fleets were ageing and not meeting maintenance targets ahead of what is expected to be a high-risk bushfire season.
The coalition’s truck program would begin in July, aiming to deliver 335 new CFA trucks over five years.
“When a bushfire threatens your home, it’s our CFA volunteers who answer the call,” Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said.
“They shouldn’t have to put up with ageing trucks and equipment that isn’t up to the job.”
It comes after Labor in October announced $167 million in funding to deliver an additional 150 fire trucks by 2030.
Two-thirds would go to the Country Fire Authority, with the remaining reserved for Fire Rescue Victoria.
Premier Ben Carroll will again spend the day campaigning on free dental care, after pledging expanded hours for 10 public clinics.
The clinics - four of which are regional and the remaining six in Melbourne suburbs - will stay open over the weekends for emergencies.
“A dental emergency shouldn’t mean a long drive or a long wait,” Mr Carroll said.
The $26.9 million investment adds to Labor’s promise on Sunday to open 20 free clinics across the state, up from a previously announced 10.
Responding to that $230 million commitment, the Opposition claimed Labor could not be trusted to deliver on its promises.
“Under Labor, too many Victorians are waiting too long for care and one in two dentals chairs are empty due to workforce shortages,” a spokesperson told AAP.
The latest polling ranks the coalition firm favourite to win government with 29.5 per cent of the primary vote ahead of Labor’s 22.5 per cent and One Nation’s 22 per cent.
Released on Friday, the Roy Morgan survey also showed a dip in popularity for the Greens, from 14 per cent to 12.5 per cent.
Victorians will go to the polls on November 28, with the official election campaign to begin with the issuing of writs on Tuesday.
