I rise to speak on the Wrongs Amendment (Asbestos Related Claims) Bill 2014. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this very important piece of legislation. As the previous speaker mentioned, this is a particularly important issue to me and has been for a very long time, including when I worked for…
The Andrews Labor Government has completed $2.5 million of road safety improvementson Winchelsea-Deans Marsh Road, which will address a history of run-off road crashes. There had been nine run-off road crashes between July 2007 and June 2012, resulting inone fatality and multiple serious injuries on the 22.5km Winchelsea-Deans Marsh Road. These improvements will address the…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Training and Skills, Mr Steve Herbert, and is in relation to South West TAFE. A couple of weeks ago the minister and I were fortunate to meet with industry leaders at the Warrnambool campus of South West TAFE to talk about their skill and training…
I rise to make a second contribution on the Victorian Auditor-General’s report entitled Additional School Costs for Families, which was tabled in the Parliament in the last sitting week. As I said in my statement in the last sitting week, the report indicates the enormous cuts the previous government made to Victoria’s education system. These…
My constituency question is to the Minister for Education, and it is in relation to the government’s election commitment to build a P–12 school at Bannockburn. I was pleased to see Premier Andrews announce the tendering process for the school on the 5 February. That is an important step towards the implementation of our election…
With the beginning of the university year upon us, many Victorians will be excited to start a new phase of life, while others will be returning for another year to achieve their chosen degree. However, along with that excitement, there are many students who are very nervous about the Abbot federal government’s plans for university…
On Saturday, 28 February, tens of thousands of people will converge around Pakington Street, Geelong, to celebrate the 33rd Diversitat Pako Festa. Pako Festa is the largest free celebration of multiculturalism in Australia. People attend the festival and enjoy cultural performances, activities, food from all over the world and artists from all walks of life.…
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Energy and Resources, Ms D’Ambrosio, and it is in relation to the renewable energy target (RET) and the renewable energy industry. To give some background, the RET was established in 2001 to ensure that 20 per cent of Australia’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2020. Since…
I am very pleased to stand here this evening and speak on the Back to Work Bill 2014. This bill was tabled just prior to Christmas and is the foundation stone that Labor members brought before the Victorian public because we understood that Victorians were hurting. We understood that the level of unemployment in this…
I rise to pay tribute to Wendy Eleanor Pearl, who died late last year. The massive attendance at the mass of thanksgiving held at St Francis Xavier Church in Corio on 30 December 2014 was an indication of the deep love and widespread respect in which Wendy was held by the people of Geelong and…
My constituency question is for the Minister for Education and is directed through the Minister for Training and Skills, Mr Herbert, in his capacity as representing Minister Merlino in this chamber. It is in regard to the current structure and role of regional offices within the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Over the…
Small business operators in the Torquay area can access free mentoring, support andinformation about Victorian Government services when the Small Business Bus visits on Tuesday 17 March 2015. Minister for Small Business, Adem Somyurek, said the Andrews Labor Government isdoubling its mobile support for small business with a second Small Business Bus now delivering valuable…
The Andrews Labor Government will strengthen bridges along major regional freight corridors through the Stronger Country Bridges Program. $35.8 million in funding will be fast-tracked to strengthen 48 bridges in regionalVictoria, which will reduce transport costs for freight and increase productivity. Members for Western Victoria Jaala Pulford and Gayle Tierney today announced that $2million would…
Four years of savage cuts to our TAFE system under the coalition government left South West TAFE on its knees and in deficit. However, the staff and management of this great institution are celebrating once again after the Andrews Labor government committed $4 million in rescue funding last week. Under the coalition government funding was slashed,…
This afternoon I would like to make a contribution on the Victorian Auditor General’s report on additional school costs for families. In short this report examines whether funding adequately supports the delivery of free education in this state, whether schools appropriately manage parent payments to support free instruction and whether the Department of Education and…
Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP has welcomed the Andrews Labor Government’s VET Funding Review following the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services released on Friday. The Report showed Victoria spent just $9.36 per hour on vocational training in 2013 – thelowest of any state or territory and down from $11.36 in 2011. The…
My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Education, Mr Merlino, and relates to school attainment and retention rates in south western Victoria. As the minister would be aware, the completion of secondary school has become more influential in determining the opportunities a young person will have available to them now and in the…
A community forum will be held in Hamilton to hear from locals, experts and law enforcement about ways to combat the drug ice. Member for Western Victoria Region, Gayle Tierney MP, said that the forum is one of nineteen that will take place across the state by mid-April. “If we want to stop this drug…
The Andrews Labor Government is rebuilding Victoria’s struggling TAFE system, with South West TAFE Institute of TAFE receiving a $4 million boost from the first $20million of the emergency TAFE Rescue Fund. Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert said the emergency funding was the startof the Labor Government’s work to rebuild public TAFE institutes,…
A community forum will be held in Horsham to hear from locals, experts and law enforcement about ways to combat the drug ice. Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP, said that the forum is one of nineteen that will take place across the state by mid-April. “If we want to stop this drug then…
A community forum will be held in Hamilton to hear from locals, experts and law enforcement about ways to combat the drug ice. Member for Western Victoria Region, Gayle Tierney MP, said that the forum is one of nineteen that will take place across the state by mid-April. “If we want to stop this drug…