I want to acknowledge Daniel Andrews for serving in the tough job as the Victorian Premier for nearly nine years, and I wish him and his family well for the future.
But this marks the end of a leader that abandoned regional Victoria and has left the rest of us to pick up the pieces of a State he has devastated.
Daniel Andrews spent his nine years taking out loans in the names of our children and has now left them to pay it – that is his legacy.
Victoria has a record debt approaching $200 billion, even with Labor introducing more than 50 new or increased taxes since 2014.
Despite all this debt and spending, regional Victoria has nothing to show for it.
The roads are crumbling, the road toll is rising, hospital waiting lists are through the roof, V-Line trains are completely underserviced, and housing is in complete crisis.
The new Premier has an opportunity to acknowledge the neglect and right these wrongs.
They must commit to repairing our roads, healing our health system, upgrading our schools, and invest in our region – not just the city.
Now is time for change, and The Nationals and I will continue to hold the Government to account, and we’ll be working harder than ever to end this Labor Government in 2026.
We deserve a government that will represent all Victorians.