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…