The Andrews Labor Government has refused to answer serious questions about its decision to hand a $400,000 grant to Steelvision.
The Treasurer was asked in Parliament’s Question Time today to explain why Steelvision was handed a $400,000 government grant, the day after Victoria’s State Revenue Office requested the company be wound up.
On 31 July 2018, the SRO applied in the Supreme Court for Steelvision to be wound up for failing to pay $135,173 in payroll tax.
Steelvision paid its payroll tax bill on 12 September 2018 – six weeks after the $400,000 grant was received.
The grant was supposed to boost jobs in the Latrobe Valley, but Steelvision was declared insolvent in January 2019 and the jobs have never been created.
Comment attributable to Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Regional Victoria and Decentralisation Peter Walsh
If the Andrews Labor Government worked as hard on due diligence as its Treasurer did today avoiding these serious questions, they wouldn’t be in this mess.
There’s something seriously wrong when one arm of government is requesting a company be wound up for failing to pay a tax bill, while another is approving a $400,000 grant.
Victorians deserve an explanation on why their money has been used by Labor to prop up a business the SRO believed to be in financial trouble.
Labor’s incompetence has wasted Victorians’ money, failed to deliver promised new jobs, and left other Latrobe Valley businesses in debt.
Comment attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath
It’s infuriating the Andrews Labor Government continues to disrespect the Latrobe Valley community by refusing to answer questions on their risk assessment of Steelvision.
This grant was an incredibly poor Andrews Labor Government investment which has actually caused local job losses and inflicted huge financial debt on Latrobe Valley businesses.