Jaclyn Symes

Voted for the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025. As the minister handling the bill in the Council, spoke for the 2026 offence of recruiting children to commit serious crimes, and has defended the government's police funding.

• Voted26 Aug 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025. Passed 28–6.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said9 Sep 2025In question time, said “no government has invested in police more than this one”, with budgets rising each year.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said25 Aug 2026In debate on the Crimes Amendment (Recruitment of Children for Criminal Activity) Bill 2026, said the new offence for an adult recruiting a child covers 71 serious crimes, including carjacking and home invasion.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for the Housing Statement Reform Bill 2024's rental, strata and planning changes. As Treasurer, pointed to first home buyer numbers and stamp duty concessions, and steered tax relief for community housing and homes under construction.

• Voted6 Mar 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Consumer and Planning Legislation Amendment (Housing Statement Reform) Bill 2024, which changed rental, strata and planning laws, including ending notices to vacate at the end of a first fixed-term lease. Passed 22–17.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said18 Mar 2026In a ministers statement on housing, said Victoria leads the nation in first home buyers, citing almost 40,000 new loan commitments in the past year.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said16 Jun 2026In debate on the Building Legislation and Treasury Legislation (Tax Relief) Amendment Bill 2026, said the bill gives tax relief to community housing organisations and eases land tax exemptions for homes under construction or renovation.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 and spoke in support of it.

• Said28 Oct 2025In debate on the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025, spoke in favour of the bill, describing it as a “monumental change for Victoria”.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted30 Oct 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025. Passed 21–16.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against a Greens motion to make public transport permanently free and more frequent. Has defended the Suburban Rail Loop as a once-in-a-generation project that creates jobs.

• Said3 Apr 2025In question time, described the Suburban Rail Loop as a once-in-a-generation project, with $14 billion already allocated and thousands of jobs at stake.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted3 Jun 2026Voted no on a Greens motion calling on the government to make public transport permanently free and more frequent. Lost 7–31.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has said data centres create construction and skilled tech jobs, while noting questions about how to manage their energy needs.

• Said11 Aug 2026In question time, said data centres create thousands of construction jobs and skilled tech jobs, and that the energy portfolio is relevant to how such investment is managed.Hansard, Legislative Council

As a minister in 2023, spoke for raising the wagering tax to 15 per cent with part shared with the racing industry, and said gambling advertising contributes to gambling harm. Voted for the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2025.

• Said30 May 2023In the committee stage of the Gambling Taxation Bill 2023, said the bill would raise the point-of-consumption tax on wagering from 10 to 15 per cent, with part of the increase passed on to the racing industry, and opposed Greens amendments.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said30 May 2023In the committee stage of the Gambling Regulation Amendment Bill 2023, said the government saw gambling advertising as out of step with community expectations and contributing to gambling harm, but opposed Rachel Payne's amendment on it as out of the bill's scope.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted17 Jun 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, which changed the licensing framework for gaming machine monitoring and public lotteries. Passed 22–14.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy bill. As Treasurer, presented the 2026–27 budget as delivering cost-of-living savings, and as energy minister has promoted the Victorian energy upgrades program.

• Minister19 Dec 2024Treasurer from December 2024 to August 2026.Parliament of Victoria
• Voted15 May 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Bill 2025, which replaced the fire services property levy with a broader Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy. Passed 22–17.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said13 May 2026In a ministers statement on the 2026–27 budget, cited two months of free public transport, half-price fares and a 20 per cent rego rebate as cost-of-living savings.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said10 Sep 2026In a ministers statement, said the Victorian energy upgrades program helps households save on appliance costs and energy bills.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. As Treasurer, defended the government's health funding record in question time.

• Said18 Feb 2025In question time, answered a question on health funding by pointing to growth in doctor numbers and support for nurses and hospitals.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted19 Feb 2026Voted yes on the third reading of the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025, which sets rules and an approval process for certain medical treatment of people born with variations in sex characteristics. Passed 24–15.Hansard, Legislative Council