My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. It is in relation to a media release dated 15 July 2014 from the member for South Barwon in the other place, Andrew Katos, claiming that there has been a major increase in police numbers in the Geelong region. In fact the media…
I wish to register my dismay at the government’s handling of the Ann Nichol House aged-care facility at Portarlington. Ann Nichol House has been an important part of the fabric of the North Bellarine community for many years. It was established based on a need in the community that had to be met, and the…
I will make some comments on the Auditor-General’s report on coordinating public transport which was tabled in Parliament in August. I begin by saying that this report points to the ineffectiveness of Victoria’s public transport network and the sluggishness of progress to improve public transport services and connectivity by the Napthine government. The report found…
This being the last sitting week of the 57th Parliament, I acknowledge a number of communities for their endeavours to advance Western Victoria. I congratulate the staff, parents and students at Timboon P-12 School who ran a great campaign over the last three years to get funding commitments from the Napthine government. It is clear…
Local Federal Liberal MP Sarah Henderson, yesterday voted to rip half a billion dollars from the car industry and helping drive 100,000 Victorians out of work. New laws which passed the House of Representatives yesterday would defund the Automotive Transformation Scheme, cutting $500 million over four years. Modelling conducted by the University of Adelaide has…
For more than three years Victorians have watched the Napthine coalition government systematically destroy Victoria’s TAFE system. Victorians have seen valuable teachers and staff sacked, campuses closed, courses cut and fees go through the roof. We have seen educational opportunities to get ahead in life or make a new start for both young and older…
I rise to make a contribution on the Auditor-General’s report into prisoner transportation, which was tabled on 11 June. Each year in Victoria a minimum of 58 000 prisoners are moved. The reasons for their transportation include to accommodate changes in a prisoner’s risk profile, to maximise prison capacity, to attend health and welfare programs…
Barely a week goes by without an article in one of the regional newspapers in my electorate of Western Victoria Region detailing the Napthine government’s complete and utter failure to maintain a first-class health system in Victoria. Whether it is hospital wait times, failure to provide the promised 800 hospital beds, crowded emergency departments or…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Emergency Services in the other place. It is in relation to the Country Fire Authority (CFA) Warrnambool brigade. A little over four years ago the Brumby government allocated a firefighting pumper to the specially customised Warrnambool fire station to assist in firefighting in the south-west…
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria) — In order to assist with the efficient operation of the committee today I will inform the chamber of Labor’s position in relation to all of the proposed amendments. The bill was amended substantially by Labor in the Legislative Assembly. There were substantive discussions between the shadow Attorney-General, the member for…
In May this year, Prime Minister Abbott and the federal coalition government showed their true colours to the Australian people as they handed down the most unfair, damaging, misleading and socially divisive budget this country has seen. While Mr Abbott arrogantly continues to tell us this is what we need, leaders from across all sectors…
I wish to exercise my right of reply as the person who moved this very important motion on the unemployment crisis in this state in the last parliamentary sitting week. What have we learnt since that time, which was only some 10 days ago? We have learnt that 25 jobs have gone from the Target …
This evening I wish to make some comments on the Auditor-General’s report tabled on 20 August in relation to access to legal aid. While the Auditor-General is complimentary of Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) for its performance in this dire financial environment, he warns that limiting eligibility criteria in order to achieve financial sustainability has serious…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the Premier, and it relates to the youth unemployment rates in rural and regional Victoria. It is no surprise that this is a major issue confronting youth right across the state but particularly in rural and regional Victoria. Indeed the unemployment rate in the Premier’s electorate of South-West…
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria)— I rise to speak on the Courts Legislation Miscellaneous Amendments Bill 2014. This bill contains many miscellaneous provisions and covers a number of different aspects of the judicial system, and Labor will not be opposing it. The bill amends a number of acts that currently regulate the operation of Victorian courts…
I rise today to acknowledge an important date, which is near and dear to all our hearts: Cancer Council Australia’s annual Daffodil Day, to be held tomorrow, Friday, 22 August. The impact of cancer within our society can only be described as widespread. Cancer does not discriminate by age, gender or even general health and…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the attention of the Minister for Employment and Trade and it is in relation to the recently released Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) unemployment rates. The ABS figures that were released on 7 August demonstrate that the unemployment rate in Victoria rose from 6.6 per cent to 7 …
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria)— I move: That this house notes that — (1) when the coalition took office, the unemployment rate was 4.9 per cent — 2.1 percentage points below today; and (2) under Dr Denis Napthine, MP, Victoria’s unemployment rate has rocketed to 7 per cent, the highest it has been for 14 …
I rise to make a statement on the Victorian Auditor-General’s report of August 2014 entitled Technical and Further Education Institutes — Results of the 2013 Audits. The Auditor-General’s report details findings of an audit into the financials of 14 TAFE institutes and 13 entities under their control. My attention is drawn to significant concerns held…
I acknowledge the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, Geelong and District Sub Branch, for the memorial service that it conducted in North Geelong last Sunday to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the battle of Long Tan. The ceremony provided a timely reminder that it is governments, not service personnel, which make decisions about the deployment…
I acknowledge the media release yesterday from the mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Darryn Lyons, in which he advocates for the Bay West development, recognising that such a development will be great for Geelong and have a positive impact on Avalon Airport and boost jobs.
I acknowledge the Hamilton Pastoral and Agricultural Society for another fabulous Sheepvention held earlier this month. It was our ninth year of attending the event, and with record crowds, many people once again stopped at our stall to chat, raise issues, take some information and sign petitions. I congratulate Sheepvention president, Nick Sutherland, and his…
I congratulate the Portarlington Demons Football Netball Club on raising thousands of dollars for Diabetes Australia on 2 August. It will help in the fight against that insidious disease.
I rise to speak on the Crime Statistics Bill 2014. There have been a number of attempts to bring this bill before the house and finally it has arrived this afternoon. The purpose of this bill is to provide for the publication of crime statistics and the employment of a chief statistician. From the outset…
I rise to speak to the debate on the Privacy and Data Protection Bill 2014. The opposition will not be opposing the bill, which aims to improve the management of private information held by the Victorian public sector. It follows a report by the Auditor-General tabled on 25 November 2009 entitled Maintaining the Integrity and…
I rise to make a statement on Ambulance Victoria’s annual report for 2012-13. At the outset I acknowledge and congratulate three experienced paramedics — Jon Byrne from emergency management, Kerry Power, who is a mobile intensive care ambulance paramedic, and Tony Oxford, who is a group manager. They were awarded the Ambulance Service Medal in…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Education, Martin Dixon, and it relates to the cuts to the Glenelg and Southern Grampians Local Learning and Employment Network. I am sure the minister is well-versed on the depth and breadth of our youth unemployment crisis, with Victoria’s youth unemployment skyrocketing to 17.5 per…
My adjournment matter this evening is also for the Minister for Education, Martin Dixon. It relates to the continuation of the Portland re-engagement program. This program is a flexible learning alternative currently being offered by Portland Secondary College, and it is for young people who are at risk of being disengaged from education. Currently 37…
This morning I rise to comment on my concerns about this government’s lack of commitment to the agricultural sector. Today’s Weekly Times reports that vocational education and training courses in agricultural-based training will be cut by up to 30 per cent. Those cuts will apply not just to courses in the horticultural area but also…
I rise to support Mr Somyurek’s motion and, unlike the last two government speakers, speak to the motion. I will be dealing with the Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP). I will talk about Keppel Prince — a fantastic company that operates within my electorate — and I will also talk about support for local employment,…
My statement this afternoon is on the Auditor-General’s report on residential care services for children. The system that is reported on in terms of the audit summary indicates that there are currently 500 children in the care of the Department of Human Services (DHS), and they are among the most vulnerable in our community. Residential…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, the Honourable Martin Dixon, and it relates to the Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network. As the minister would be aware, Victoria is in the midst of a crisis due to youth employment crisis. The fact is that Victoria now has the highest youth unemployment…
Last Friday I attended the Jobs4Geelong expo, held at the Deakin University waterfront campus. It was a two-day event held in a common area at Deakin, which was bustling with people eager to get information from the various stalls held by a range of local employers, recruitment agencies, training providers and other job seeker support…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education and is in relation to the Moriac Primary School. By way of background, during 2008 the Labor government entered the Moriac Primary School into what was then the Building Futures program. The proposed works were significant, given that there had been no work on that school…
I rise to speak on the Vexatious Proceedings Bill 2014. The opposition will not be opposing the bill. The bill reduces the costs incurred by the court and members of the community through unnecessary and unmeritorious litigation. In 2008 the Victorian parliamentary Law Reform Committee inquired into vexatious litigants and received significant response from the community.…
On Tuesday, 20 May, more than 200 off-duty police officers rallied against the ongoing and systematic funding cuts and decrease in resources for police in the Geelong region. Police Association secretary, Ron Iddles, addressed the rally, saying it was the first time he could recall a group of police rallying publically for more support. Police…
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria) — I move: That this house notes that — (1) the Napthine government has cut Victoria’s youth employment scheme at the height of a youth unemployment crisis; (2) the Minister for Employment and Trade, the Honourable Louise Asher, MP, has admitted that the Napthine government reduced the number of traineeships in the…
My contribution this evening is on the South West Institute of TAFE 2013 annual report. The South West Institute of TAFE is the largest vocational training provider in the south-west of Victoria, and over the reporting period the institute delivered accredited courses to over 11 600 students with 2.89 million student contact hours. It has…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development. It is in relation to state and federal funding for Victorian kindergartens and the national agreement of 15 hours of kindergarten for every child. It really is extremely disappointing to have to raise the possible notion of the reduction of the current…
Under the Napthine government Victoria now holds the unenviable title of the state with the highest youth unemployment rate in mainland Australia. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that Victoria’s youth unemployment is at 20 per cent, but figures are higher in some regional centres in my electorate. Sadly, these statistics do not come as…
Crime has risen again in the Polwarth region under Denis Napthine with another 7.2 per cent increase from the previous year, according to the latest Victoria Police statistics. The statistics also show that family violence continues to rise with a 24.6 per cent increase in the Colac and Surfcoast region. Denis Napthine and the Liberals…
Crime has risen again in the South West under Denis Napthine with another 4.9 per cent increase from the previous year, according to the latest Victoria Police statistics. The statistics also show that family violence continues to rise with a 5.9% increase in the south west. Denis Napthine and the Liberals are making it harder…
The Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, and the federal Treasurer, Joe Hockey, have now delivered their first budget, and the people of Australia are truly gutted by what they have seen. The federal budget is an assault on the most vulnerable in our society and a betrayal by a craven government, despite the promises it made…
Tonight I make a statement on the Auditor-General’s report Access to Education for Rural Students, which was tabled in this house on 3 April. It is really important to go to the first paragraph of this report, because it sets out the facts and the context in which this report has been submitted. It says:…
Anzac Day provides an opportunity to pay tribute to those who have been injured and those who have paid the highest price of all in representing Australia in areas of conflict around the world for over 100 years. It is a time for reflection and a time to think of grief-stricken families and the carers…
I would like to acknowledge the Lovett brothers from Lake Condah, who were recently added to the Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll. Alfred, Leonard, Edward, Herbert and Frederick Lovett all fought on the Western Front in World War I, and all returned home safely. It has been noted by Britain’s Imperial War Museum that no other…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, and it is in relation to Operation Newstart. Over the years I have had the opportunity to attend several graduation ceremonies at City Hall in relation to Operation Newstart, and I have had the privilege of listening to the stories and hearing about…
Family violence prevention in the south west will get the attention and support it deserves under a Labor Government, State Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney said. Labor recently announced it would establish Australia’s first Royal Commission into family violence if it wins the State Election in November. Family violence is not just a national…
Family violence prevention in Colac will get the attention and support it deserves under a Labor Government, State Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney said. Labor recently announced it would establish Australia’s first Royal Commission into family violence if it wins the State Election in November. Family violence is not just a national emergency –…
Dear Editor, Numerous articles have been published in this newspaper regarding the Melbourne to Warrnambool V-Line service, which is the worst serviced V-Line service in Victoria. At present there are just three services per day that Warrnambool and Colac public transport users can use to access services in Geelong and Melbourne — one in the…
My adjournment matter this evening is directed to the Premier and is in relation to workplace occupational health and safety matters. I was quite horrified to learn that this government has withdrawn the right of the community to be notified of company breaches of their obligations under health and safety legislation. For those in the chamber…
It is fair to say that the Minister for Health and his staff have drawn the longest bow in history for the government’s latest excuse for why it will not support the health and wellbeing of Victorian farmers. In the Hamilton Spectator a member of the Minister for Health’s staff was quoted as saying: It…
I rise to make a contribution in relation to the Gordon annual report 2013. This TAFE organisation is well known to a number of people in this chamber, as it is one of the oldest TAFEs in this state and has been operating for some time. It is the largest regional stand-alone TAFE in Victoria…
I rise to support the motion that has been put before us today by Ms Pulford. I say from the outset that I am absolutely appalled by the fact the Liberal Party has advised the house it will be voting against this motion. I can only conclude from the remarks of Mr David O’Brien that The…
Victoria is currently facing a youth unemployment crisis, with many of the worst-affected areas being in regional Victoria. On a number of occasions in this place I have spoken about areas in my electorate, which includes the Premier’s Assembly electorate of South-West Coast, that are experiencing significant youth unemployment rates. One does not need a…
I rise to support Mr Tee’s reasoned amendment and also to contribute to debate on the Transport Legislation Amendment (Further Taxi Reform and Other Matters) Bill 2014. Although the bill attempts to reform the taxi industry in this state, the opposition has significant concerns with it. These concerns were addressed in proposed amendments introduced by …
Another 1100 desperate Victorians have joined the housing waiting list after Denis Napthine failed to build new public and social housing. Portland recorded a 21.82 per cent increase over the last three months, with an extra 12 people now waiting for housing in Portland. There are now over 35,000 people waiting for accommodation, including almost…
Victorian Labor will commit $5 million to establish a dedicated Victorian Defence Procurement Office, to be located in Geelong. This new office will ensure that the skill and capability of Victorian and Geelong manufacturers are marketed to the world’s largest defence contractors – generating vitally important local manufacturing jobs. Victoria is already home to…
Last Thursday, 20 March 2014, the Leader of the Opposition, Daniel Andrews, announced that a Labor government will fund the $12 million stage 1 upgrade of Geelong High School. The redevelopment will involve new classrooms, upgrades of hospitality and arts facilities, toilet blocks and administration building upgrades. This is an important announcement, and it is …
Labor Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney said that South West commuters have suffered yet another month of V/Line headaches as the Napthine Government failed its own performance benchmarks. “The latest V/Line statistics show that services to and from Warrnambool were hit with chronic delays yet again,” Ms Tierney said. “Most lines across the V/Line…
Denis Napthine’s TAFE cuts have pushed South West TAFE to the brink, Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney said today. The South West TAFE Annual Report revealed that the institution had a deficit of $3.4 million in 2013. The Annual Report also showed that over the past year the equivalent of 49 full-time jobs have…
Labor Parliamentary Secretary for Employment, Gayle Tierney moved a motion in State Parliament yesterday calling on the Napthine Government to get serious about jobs and job creation in Victoria. The motion called on Victoria’s Economy and Infrastructure References Committee to inquire into, consider and report on Victoria’s increasing unemployment rate. However the State Government has…
On Wednesday, 19 March, I was at Ashby Primary School in Geelong West for National Ride2School Day. I have had the pleasure of attending Ashby Primary School on a number of occasions, and each time I visit the school the staff and students are brimming with enthusiasm and vigour. Last Wednesday was no different. Many…
I commend the Geelong West Neighbourhood House committee for its efforts in organising WestFEST last Sunday afternoon. It was a real local festival celebrating local artists, local produce and local activities. The festival vindicated the need for the committee, which is soundly committed to bringing the local community together, providing support and fostering engagement. I…
My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Premier, and it is in relation to the jobs crisis in this state. I draw the attention of the Premier to an article in the Age today which says: Victoria has become the hardest place on the mainland to find a job. The latest vacancy…
I rise to pay tribute to Wally Curran, who passed away on 24 March. Wally Curran was a member of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union for over 60 years, serving as the Victorian assistant secretary for 16 years and as state secretary for 24 years. Wally Curran was a driven man who made sure…
I move: That this house — (1) notes that unemployment continues to grow, the current rate being the highest for more than a decade; (2) expresses concern at the alarming figures for youth unemployment, identified in the Brotherhood of St Laurence Australian Youth Unemployment 2014 — Snapshot, in particular the increases across the state…
My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Health. It relates to a lack of coverage by ambulance services in Geelong. On Friday, 14 March, Geelong did not have ambulance coverage, and this necessitated an ambulance being driven down from Sebastopol, near Ballarat, an hour away. On the following Sunday from 9.00 p.m. onwards …
At 1.00 p.m. on Saturday, 9 March, an elderly woman in Colac had a fall, and an ambulance was called. At around the same time the ambulance service in Colac received a call for paramedics to attend a person who had collapsed and was not alert. This call was attended by an off-duty crew from…
I rise to make a contribution on the Auditor-General’s report entitled Apprenticeship and Traineeship Completion. Historically in this state we have always had a genuine commitment to and provided support for apprenticeships and traineeships. Young people especially benefit from vocational education by obtaining qualifications, skills and work experience to reach their full potential and embark…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. It relates to police resources in the Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine regions. According to statistics, in Geelong crimes against the person have increased 12.6 per cent, drug offences have increased 16.3 per cent, assault has increased 11.1 per cent, burglary has increased…
My matter this evening is for the Minister for Education, and it is in relation to the Warrnambool Special Developmental School. It was determined in 2012 that the school was under-established in terms of entitlement rooms. Last year it was determined that based on its then student numbers, it was under-established by four classrooms —…
I rise to make a contribution to the debate on the Mental Health Bill 2014. This bill implements recommendations from the review of the Mental Health Act 1986, which was announced by the Labor government in 2008, and the consultation report, which was released in July 2009. The opposition acknowledges the importance of this bill …
I rise to speak in the debate on the Environment Protection and Sustainability Victoria Amendment Bill 2014. From the outset I indicate that Labor will not supporting this bill. Whilst some aspects of the bill represent forward steps in relation to the environment, there are a number of backward steps in it. Unfortunately over the…
Last Thursday, 20 March, the Leader of the Opposition and member for Mulgrave in the Assembly, Daniel Andrews, announced that a Labor government will fund the $12 million stage 1 upgrade of the Geelong High School. The redevelopment will involve new classrooms, upgrades of hospitality and arts facilities, toilet blocks and administration building upgrades. This…
My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Health, and it is in relation to Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital. The hospital is currently seeking a budget allocation of $10 million to enable the redevelopment of its aged-care infrastructure. This project forms stage 1A of the Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital master …
The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) has been ignored yet again by a Liberal-Nationals government, this time at a federal level. Two weeks ago the Prime Minister announced a $320 million farmer assistance package which includes a mental health component. However, in what is becoming a general practice for Liberal-Nationals governments in Australia, the…
I rise to speak on the Summary Offences and Sentencing Amendment Bill 2013, and I reiterate that the opposition will not be supporting this bill. It is not supporting it on a number of grounds but the key principle is that we believe this is a tool to undermine the democratic principles we have learnt…
There are not many people in Victoria who have not felt the wrath of the Napthine government’s actions, or lack thereof, over the past three years and three months. Parents and students have suffered through education funding cuts. Public sector workers have suffered through huge funding cuts and job cuts across Victoria. Manufacturing workers continue…
My adjournment matter this afternoon is for the Attorney-General, and it is in relation to funding cuts that were introduced at the beginning of last year. We are now seeing the impact of those cuts being played out in the court system. This afternoon I want to focus on family law matters. The implications of…
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria)— I add my voice to those who have extended their thanks to the members of the Family and Community Development Committee (FCDC) who were involved in the inquiry that produced Betrayal of Trust, which is such a significant and complex report. I also thank the staff and all the other people…
I rise to make a contribution on the Auditor-General’s report entitled Implementation of School Infrastructure Programs, which was tabled in February 2013. I begin by saying that under the state Labor government I had the pleasure of attending and representing the Minister for Education in my electorate in opening numerous school infrastructure projects. It was …
I start by thanking Mr Somyurek for bringing this motion before the house. It is timely that he has done so, particularly given the recent announcement that Toyota Australia will cease manufacturing cars in this country by 2017. Manufacturing was dealt another serious blow yesterday, with Alcoa announcing that up to 1000 workers will lose…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Community Services, and it is in relation to the No to Violence program that is run in the south-west of Victoria. I have spoken in this place on numerous occasions about the need for appropriate funding for programs to tackle this extremely important issue. The…
This morning I joined the Leader of the Labor Opposition, Daniel Andrews, and my fellow Labor Geelong-based members of Parliament at Alcoa as the announcement was made that Alcoa Point Henry will close in August this year. This is yet another dark day in Geelong, with more than 800 workers now facing unemployment in less …
For those who missed it, Australia now has no industry policy and certainly no manufacturing policy. This is resulting in company closures and massive job losses. Whilst Prime Minister Abbott and the federal Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, Senator Abetz, are making wild ideological pronouncements from Canberra, trying to blame workers…
To ask the Assistant Treasurer (for the Minister for Employment and Trade): In relation to the 20 job losses due to the redundancies made at Brockman Engineering in Geelong, what assistance will the Napthine government provide these workers who have been affected by these job cuts just weeks before Christmas. ANSWER: I am informed that:…
My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Health, David Davis, who is in the chamber, and it is in relation to ambulance services in Beaufort. In the May 2012 state budget the coalition government promised a new 24-hour ambulance station for Beaufort. However, late last year an internal memo leaked to …
I rise to make a statement on Occupational Health and Safety Risk on Public Hospitals, a report undertaken by the Victorian Auditor-General in November 2013. The report examines how public hospitals in Victoria are effectively managing occupational health and safety. Hospitals are the single largest subsector in the public sector workforce, and as of 30…
Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney has taken the fight to retain Colac Area Health’s financial counselling program to State Parliament. In a speech made last night, Ms Tierney called on the Minister for Health, David Davis to immediately restore funding to the financial counselling service. “Cutting funding for such a valuable service in Colac…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health. It is in relation to the recent funding cuts by the Napthine government that have resulted in Colac Area Health being forced to halve its financial counselling services. It is known that the Colac community experiences a higher rate of financial disadvantage than the average community …
I rise to speak on the Court Services Victoria Bill 2013, and from the outset I would like to restate that the opposition will not be opposing this bill. Currently the administration of the courts is managed by a unit within the Department of Justice. This bill establishes Court Services Victoria, which will be known…
It is a well-known fact throughout the Victorian community that this Liberal-Nationals government has absolutely dropped the ball in terms of job creation and job retainment. We have seen unprecedented job losses since this government was elected. Not a week goes by without companies making closure announcements and more workers joining the dole queues. Victoria…