Employment Western Victoria

My question is to the Minister for Training and Skills. In recent years we know there has been a crisis in the jobs and skills area in western Victoria, in part stemming from cuts to the Gordon Institute of TAFE in Geelong and the South West Institute of TAFE in Warrnambool, Portland and Hamilton, coupled…

Transport Accident Amendment Bill 2015

I am pleased to rise this afternoon to speak on the Transport Accident Amendment Bill 2015. As a government we are totally committed to promoting road safety and we applaud the work of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and the work it does in seeking to educate drivers and to promote shifts in driver behaviour,…

Kardinia Park Stadium Bill 2015

It is with great pleasure that I rise this morning to speak on the Kardinia Park Stadium Bill 2015, because it is an important piece of legislation that is going to contribute to the Geelong community and the Geelong economy. But before I go to the specific aspects of the bill, I would like to…

Stawell Physics Lab

My adjournment matter tonight is for the Minister for Training and Skills and is in relation to the Stawell physics laboratory in my electorate. Last November this government committed $1.75 million for the Stawell Physics Lab through the Labor government’s $500 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, to be built in Stawell’s existing goldmine. The lab will be…

Keppel Prince Engineering

In an age where we are seeing and feeling the effects of human-induced climate change more and more, investment in renewable energy generation is more crucial than ever. Furthermore, with a number of Victorians out of work and struggling to find new employment, especially in the skilled manufacturing sector, anything which promotes and grows employment…

Police Custody Officers

My adjournment matter this evening is for the Acting Minister for Police in the other place, and it deals with police custody officers. Under the previous government there were significant issues that arose as a result of the overcrowded prison system. That being the case, this government has made it a priority to put significant…

PROTECTING VULNERABLE VICTORIANS WITH BACK UP POWER

Thousands of Victorians living in residential care facilities now have the protection of a continuous backup electricity supply to keep lifesaving medical equipment running during a power failure or emergency. The Andrews Labor Government has finished installing diesel generators in 52 residential care facilities across Victoria under stage 4A of the Local Infrastructure Assistance Fund,…

Bail Amendment Bill 2015

 I rise to speak on the Bail Amendment Bill 2015. This bill serves several purposes. Firstly, it serves to strengthen measures to promote community safety by adding safeguards to the Bail Act 1977 to shift the onus onto serious offenders, especially those with a history of breaching bail, to prove why they should be given…

Road Legislation Amendment Bill 2015

It is a pleasure to stand here and make a contribution in relation to the Road Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 before the house this afternoon. As previous speakers have highlighted, this jurisdiction has been a world leader in terms of road safety when it comes to the introduction of the mandatory wearing of seatbelts, random…

Dick Gray

I rise this morning to pay tribute to Dick Gray, who passed away last month. Dick Gray was a working-class warrior and a proud union man who had three main loves: his family — his wife, his two girls, his sons-in-law and his grandchildren — the Geelong Football Club and the union movement. Dick grew up in…

BOOST FOR COLAC NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK CELEBRATIONS

The Andrews Labor Government is helping local young people put on events and celebrate National Youth Week, with $225,000 in National Youth Week grants. Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP has welcomed a $2,000 grant for Colac Secondary College’s The Art of Minds project. The project is aimed at providing young people currently disengaging…

BOOST FOR PORTLAND NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK CELEBRATIONS

The Andrews Labor Government is helping local young people put on events and celebrate National Youth Week, with $225,000 in National Youth Week grants. Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP has welcomed a grant of $2,000 for the Glenelg Shire’s Celebrating you(th) Community Festival. Celebrating you(th) is a mini community festival showcasing the local…

Kindergarten Funding

My adjournment this evening is a matter for the Minister for Families and Children, and it is in relation to a matter that was raised in question time today. It is in respect of kindergarten funding. It is clear that when children are born their brains are actually much the same; it really does come…

Auditor-General’s report in the East West Link

This afternoon I would like to make some comments in relation to the Auditor-General’s report that was tabled in December 2015 on the east–west link (EWL) project. In fact it was tabled in this place on 9 December last year. The Acting Auditor-General, Dr Peter Frost, notes in the letter to the Presiding Officers accompanying the report,…

School Breakfast Clubs program

My constituency question is for the Minister for Education in relation to the School Breakfast Clubs program. I am very pleased that the minister has seen fit to provide funding for breakfast clubs in 36 schools across my electorate of Western Victoria Region. I understand it is a $13.7 million program. I believe this will improve the…

Christmas Day Fires

On Christmas Day, on what should have been a day of joy, family and celebration, residents of Wye River and Separation Creek were instead faced with fear and danger as fire tore through their communities. As a result of the fire, 118 homes were lost — 98 in Wye River and 18 in Separation Creek. Over 2500 hectares were burnt…

Warrnambool Special Development School

My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Education in the other place, and it is in relation to the Warrnambool Special Developmental School in the south-west of my electorate. Prior to the 2014 state election Labor acknowledged that the Warrnambool Special Developmental School was long overdue for a new home. Originally built…