MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:07): Last week I had the pleasure of attending the first graduation of the certificate III in learning an endangered Aboriginal language. This Victorian-first course started in 2018 and continued throughout 2019. The certificate gives students the understanding, skills and resources to build up…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:17): I rise today to congratulate two organisations that are doing a fantastic job in extending creative opportunities in south-west Victoria. Red Rock Regional Theatre and Gallery at Cororooke has received $75 000 to create a space for workshops, rehearsals and performance plus a…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:45): I rise to share that Wodonga TAFE was recently awarded the Australian Defence Force driver machinery and plant training services contract at the army school of transport at Puckapunyal. This is an outstanding achievement for a TAFE. The contract spans up to…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:27): Last week was an important milestone for Melbourne’s west. I had the pleasure of joining Legislative Council colleagues Ingrid Stitt and Cesar Melhem, along with the member for St Albans, Natalie Suleyman, in the other place, to officially open Victoria University Polytechnic’s Sunshine…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:15): It is with great pleasure that I rise today to note that 28 Western Victoria constituents have been recognised with Australia Day awards. Three became AMs—members of the Order of Australia—20 were awarded Medals of the Order of Australia, two received Australian Fire…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:53:38): I rise today to reflect on the contribution to regional Victoria, and especially western Victoria, made by Geoff Handbury, PhD, AO. Mr Handbury died this week, aged 94, after a lifetime supporting the community at a local, regional, state and even national level.…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:28:38): Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend the Australian Training Awards. The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards for the vocational education and training sector, and again this year Victorian TAFEs did not disappoint. For the fourth year in…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (17:37:55): Like so many other people in the chamber today I also have a deep personal association with this issue. The first time I knew of workplace deaths, I think, was from stories that my great-grandmother and my grandmother told me about what…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:22:58): Last Sunday marked the year anniversary of the re-elected Andrews Labor government. The gift of government is something we do not take for granted, and we have not wasted a day since. We have continued our proud record of building an education…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (17:50:20): I will try to be fairly quick with this, in responding to comments that have been made. In addressing this matter, firstly, I wish to indicate that I do have some answers to a number of questions that have been raised. There…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:06:39): Today is a historic day for adult community education in this state. At lunchtime today I will officially launch the ministerial statement on The Future of Adult Community Education in Victoria 2020–25. The ministerial statement will give the sector the acknowledgement and…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:08:53): Last night I had the privilege of attending the formal opening of the Geelong Arts Centre, the revitalised and redeveloped facility that was funded by the Andrews Labor government to the tune of $37 million, and it certainly is a great facility.…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (11:19:41): I thank all the members who have contributed to this debate today and given accounts of what has been occurring in their electorates. In particular Mr Meddick, who shares my electorate, outlined some of the things that our constituents have faced in…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:17:19): What I can advise the house is that when I go around and visit TAFEs, which I do on a very regular basis, people advise me that their classrooms are full and that there is a real emphasis on completing their course…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:14:41): This is sort of a re-run in terms of a matter that was before the media during the winter recess. Clearly the member still has not got the memo, and the memo is this: that the data is two years old. It…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:08:36): I again thank the member for giving me an opportunity to talk about TAFE and free TAFE. I can say that I am a little bit surprised that Ms Wooldridge, who normally conducts herself, I think, in a very, very professional manner,…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:05:39): I am aware of the comments made by the shadow minister, Tanya Plibersek, in relation to the underspend. It is very disappointing that that money was not spent in a way that was more targeted in areas where there are government priorities,…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:31:20): I am pleased to rise and inform the house of a new Andrews government initiative announced last week to support free TAFE students to complete their studies. Last Wednesday I joined the member for Nepean, Chris Brayne, at the Chisholm Mornington Peninsula…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:26): I rise to update the chamber on how the reintroduction of trade papers by the Andrews government is rebuilding the status of apprenticeships. Last week I visited Ringwood Training with a member for Eastern Metropolitan Region, Sonja Terpstra, who is an absolute…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:33): I thank Dr Cumming for raising this question. The provision of post-school education in our suburbs and our regional towns and provision for our rural communities is incredibly important but particularly so in areas where we have high population growth. I can advise…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:35): I thank Dr Cumming for her question again. The area of adult education is incredibly important and it is part of the post-school sector. I have had a lot of engagement in that sector in recent times. I called a summit of…
MS TIERNEY: Taya Davies from Barwon Heads is the 2020 Victoria Young Australian of the Year. Taya works with the Department of Education and Training in the Geelong region in support of disengaged young people of high school age, currently as a coordinator and manager. She brings her social values not only to these programs…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:08:21): I rise today to celebrate the achievements of two people whose work has impacted on the lives of western Victorians. I begin by congratulating Archie Roach, iconic musician and performer, who has been named the 2020 Victoria Australian of the Year. Archie…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:44:45): I wish to update the house on capital works in the TAFE sector. Recently I joined the Premier, along with the member for Frankston, Paul Edbrooke, the member for Mordialloc, Tim Richardson, and the member for Nepean, Chris Brayne, at Chisholm lnstitute’s…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (10:02:09): Last week I had the opportunity to take a close look at a project that will improve road usage not only for locals from Colac and its region but for all who use the Princes Highway through western Victoria. The replacement of…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:12:46): I would like to update the house on the Raising Expectations program. Last week I joined the member for Bayswater, Jackson Taylor, at Swinburne’s Croydon campus. We met with a number of the participating students in the Raising Expectations program. This program…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:40:28): I rise today to share a recent experience in which I felt privileged to gain an insight into what it means to live with a disability. I attended the opening in Geelong of Back to Back Theatre’s production The Shadow Whose Prey…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:33:54): I wish to update the house on the Wurreker Awards and Indigenous language courses. Recently I had the pleasure of attending my third Wurreker Awards at the Aborigines Advancement League. The awards are an annual event hosted by the Victorian Aboriginal Education…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:55:00): Today I rise to inform the house of fantastic programs being put into practice in Western Victoria. Congratulations to the recently announced finalists in the Victorian Early Years Awards; seven of the 20 are located in my electorate. They are Delkaia Aboriginal…
MS TIERNEY: In the south-west, four colleges—Apollo Bay P–12 College, Lavers Hill K–12 College, Lorne P–12 College and Colac Secondary College—are leading the way in supporting the mental health needs of regional Victorians. Recruitment is already underway to appoint mental health practitioners to work with students in each school every week starting in term 4.…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:13:01): I rise to update the house on Australia’s performance at the recent WorldSkills event in Russia, commonly known as the Olympics of skills and training. Recently our Australian representatives, known as the Skillaroos, including three Victorians, returned home after finishing eighth out…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:40:54): I rise to share several inspiring achievements of residents of Western Victoria. Last Friday I presented the Victorian Training Awards to some fantastic individuals. Outstanding amongst those is Tanya McDonald. Tanya’s award of Koorie Student of the Year recognises a student who…
MS TIERNEY: On another note, two constituents were recognised in the Ricci Marks Awards for outstanding young Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a range of fields. Staycee Charles won one of the top awards, which brings a bursary of $5000, for her work in climate change advocacy. Her passion for protecting the…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:07:40): I rise to update the chamber on the outstanding success of regional Victoria at this year’s Victorian Training Awards last Friday night. Now in its 65th year, the Victorian Training Awards recognise the achievements of Victoria’s VET sector. Regional Victoria won big-time…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:33:46): Last month I joined the Minister for Housing, Richard Wynne, and a member for Northern Victoria Region, Wendy Lovell, at the launch of the Education First Youth Foyer evaluation report. Youth foyers provide accommodation and training facilities for young people who are…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:55:28): It is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate the members of Find Your Voice all-abilities choir from Warrnambool on their recent successes. The choir, led by inspiring Warrnambool musician Tom Richardson and facilitator Kylie Thulborn, was recently awarded the…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:07:11): I rise to update the house on data relating to participation in the Victorian training system. Yesterday the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, commonly known as NCVER, released its report on government-funded students and courses for the first quarter of 2019.…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:31:27): This morning I rise to update the house on the tremendous success of Labor’s free TAFE initiative. More than 25 000 students had commenced training in free TAFE courses at the end of June this year, almost double the commencements in these…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:45:35): The Queen’s Birthday weekend saw the small Bellarine village of Portarlington transformed as the National Celtic Festival hit town. This festival attracts not only international and interstate performers but thousands of visitors. It is a festival that relies on the work of its…
MS TIERNEY: On another note I congratulate Warrnambool East Primary School on an absolutely wonderful achievement: first prize winner of the Community Leadership School of the Year in last week’s 2019 ResourceSmart Schools Awards, announced by Minister D’Ambrosio at the MCG. Warrnambool East Primary School were among a wide field of schools recognised for their…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:30:47): I wish to inform the house about a pilot that is helping to break down barriers when it comes to obtaining work in the construction industry. While there is a high demand for workers in this industry, thanks in no small part…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:12:52): I rise to update the house on matters pertaining to Federation Training—or it was previously known as Federation Training. Following extensive consultations with the Gippsland communities, Federation Training has now been renamed TAFE Gippsland. This new name means that local students will…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:18:15): I thank the member again for her surprising new and renewed and unexpected interest in TAFE, let alone free TAFE. The reality is that this government has encouraged partnership models between industry, private providers and TAFE. We have done that for a…
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (14:14:55): I am pleased to rise and contribute to this debate. As I understand it, four members from western Victoria will speak on this motion today. That is of little surprise given that, one, we represent the area but, two, I think everyone that…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:14:19): Today I wish to update the house on a valuable education initiative that highlights the unique and important role played by Learn Locals. The financial literacy for women affected by family violence initiative is jointly run by the Department of Education and…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:43:47): Today I congratulate Lorne P–12 College for its outstanding achievement in engaging students in the Victorian certificate of applied learning (VCAL). Principal Shane Elevato and his staff deliver a program that is an exemplar to educators and schools in Western Victoria. Their…
MS TIERNEY: That same emphasis on supporting students is reflected in a really significant initiative that will see schools having dedicated mental health practitioners on site. The Andrews Labor government understands the challenges faced by regional communities, especially young people living in farming areas. All schools aim to support students’ health and wellbeing, but welfare…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:40:31): On Monday I joined the vice-chancellor of RMIT, Martin Bean, at the reopening of the iconic Capitol theatre on Swanston Street in the city. By investing $2.5 million in the Capitol’s refurbishment, the Andrews Labor government has helped to make this world-class…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (14:04:40): Today I want to inform the house of yet another example of how the Andrews government’s revitalisation of Victoria’s TAFE system is changing people’s lives. In March I had the pleasure of opening the Berwick Centre for Health at the Chisholm Institute…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:49:12): Last weekend I was very pleased to join the Bannockburn community in opening the Bannockburn Victoria Park netball courts. The completion of two competition-standard netball courts with new lighting plus undercover seating and fencing was made possible by a $100 000 grant…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:21:56): I rise to update the house on the Andrews Labor government’s further investment in Victoria’s TAFE infrastructure. Prior to last year’s state election Labor announced a $220 million Building Better TAFEs Fund, the largest single investment in Victoria’s TAFE asset portfolio in…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:14:05): Thank you, and that is not what the budget paper says. In fact what we have is those on the opposite side being in absolute denial. They are the past masters of cuts. If you want to know about cuts, just go across…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:09:40): I am very pleased with the outcome for the skills and training, and higher education portfolios in last Monday’s budget. The fact of the matter is that there has been an additional $82 million provided in government-subsidised training. There is also an…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:07:28): I rise to update the house on an additional two courses that will be added to Labor’s free TAFE course list as a result of Monday’s state budget. Next year the certificate III in early childhood education and care and the diploma…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:07:28): I rise to update the house on an additional two courses that will be added to Labor’s free TAFE course list as a result of Monday’s state budget. Next year the certificate III in early childhood education and care and the diploma…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (15:50:54): Throughout the course of this debate, in the other place as well as in some of the points made in this house, issues were raised that require some clarification. Firstly, on the subject of medical treatment decisions under the Medical Treatment Planning…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (17:21:42): Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for their contributions in this debate this afternoon. Suppression orders in courts are generally used at points that are very distressing for people, and I think that with everyone’s contributions today we have been able…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:32:21): Recently I had the pleasure of visiting GOTAFE’s Shepparton campus to speak firsthand with staff and students who are part of this growing institute. There is absolutely no doubt that GOTAFE is turning the institution around. This has happened through the sheer…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:37:06): On 29 March I was privileged to take part in the installation of the new chancellor of La Trobe University, the Honourable John Brumby, AO. John, who served as Premier of this great state from 2007 to 2010, could not be a…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (16:30:58): I rise today to acknowledge with great sadness the recent passing of Doug Phillips of Portland and offer my condolences to Doug’s wife Helen and children, Lachlan and Brianna. Doug devoted untold hours, over decades, to environmental activism, protecting forests, waterways and…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:49:28): (By leave) I rise to pay tribute to two valued and very much loved members of the Victorian community in Western Victoria, Ross and Andrew Powell – a father and son who recently lost their lives while attempting to rescue a person…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria — Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:37:34): My ministers statement today is on the importance of not only training in regional communities but training that leads to good, sustainable jobs. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting workers at Benalla’s LS Precast facility who supply precast…
TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (16:49:32): I will make some brief remarks in picking up some of the points that have been raised by some of the members, and obviously we will have the opportunity in committee to explore other matters. I thank members for their contributions and for…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (09:48:34): Today I rise to pay tribute to the life of Francis Sutherland Hambly, whose career reflected long and dedicated service to tertiary education in this country. Frank Hambly passed away in November 2018, aged 83, in Canberra, although both his own education…
MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (10:00:47): I rise today to reflect on the life of Gordon Scholes, a man whose life was devoted to longstanding service to his community and to the Australian Labor Party. Gordon Scholes died in December 2018 at the age of 87. He represented…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (10:24:58) — I rise today to draw the house’s attention to two fantastic projects in Portland. Recently I had the privilege to officially open Portland Bay School, a school providing great opportunities for Portland students aged between five and 18 with special needs. This school on a brand-new site has…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (18:49:26) — As previous speakers have outlined, this is an omnibus bill that makes a number of important changes to various justice-related pieces of legislation, and I will not go through them because they have been canvassed to a significant extent, but I can touch on the coronial appeal reforms.…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (09:47:44) — I rise to update the house on the Andrews Labor government’s support for Victoria’s adult and community education providers known as Learn Locals. On 30 August 2018 I attended the 2018 Victorian Learn Local Awards and announced a new $5 million program to boost literacy, numeracy and language training for…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (10:27:38) — I rise to update the house on the Andrews Labor government’s game-changing free TAFE for priority courses initiative. I was delighted to join the Premier and Deputy Premier at Melbourne Polytechnic, Greensborough campus, for the opening of the Banyule-Nillumbik Tech School, a campus reopened by this government…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (10:39:19) — I rise to honour Joe Pearl. Joe Pearl arrived in Australia in 1953 from rural Turkenagh in County Clare, Ireland. Joe’s Gaelic name, Seosamh ó Seoid, means ‘jewel’, perhaps explaining the family name, Pearl. Joe looked to Australia for opportunity, bringing with him a lifelong love of learning despite…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (11:32:07) — The government is continuing its historic work to transform Victoria’s response to family violence so that victim survivors are better supported and perpetrators are held to account. We have committed to implementing all to 227 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, and through the 2017–18 budget invested an…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (11:57:06) — I will make some summation remarks, but before I do so I would like to extend my thoughts and condolences to Angela Taylor’s family and friends, and also indicate that my thoughts are absolutely with all of those who were injured and with the families and friends of those…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (12:49:28) — I was dealing with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities in my summing up. I mentioned that the opposition had raised the issue of the statement of compatibility for this bill. The statement of compatibility considers that this bill limits rights in the charter, and that is based…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (20:40:12) — I thank members for the contributions that they made to the house in previous weeks to this debate, and I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the issues raised by members here and indeed in the other place as well. Most of the…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) tabled following statement in accordance with Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006: In accordance with section 28 of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Charter), I make this Statement of Compatibility with respect to the Corrections Amendment (Parole) Bill 2018 (Bill). In my opinion, the Bill,…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (17:36:23) — I move: That the bill be now read a second time. The main purpose of the bill is to enhance community safety by clarifying the application of the strict parole laws for prisoners convicted of murdering a police officer, including the prisoner Dr Craig Minogue. This is to reaffirm the…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (17:31:14) — This bill deals with important reforms to the post-sentence scheme and, along with related operational reforms, will acquit the remaining outstanding legislative recommendations of the Harper review. I want to take this opportunity to thank Justice Harper, Professor Paul Mullen and Professor Bernadette McSherry for their diligent work and…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (17:38:24) — I thank everyone who has made a contribution so far in this debate and indeed thank all of those who participated in the Betrayal of Trust committee hearings as well as the royal commission. This bill closes the unfair legal loophole known as the ‘Ellis defence’, where a victim…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (12:38:57) — I rise today to inform the house of a great project focused on early intervention to assist young people in Geelong. The Geelong Project — TGP — is a fantastic example of a homegrown, innovative strategy to deal with a very serious problem on a local scale. It has…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (18:54:41) — These new laws deliver on our election commitment to improve access to justice for all Victorians, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community. Before the 2014 election we did commit to a review of access to justice if we won office, and that is exactly…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (09:49:16) — Anzac Day this year had a special focus on the centenary of the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, which is of particular significance for Australians. In April 1918 in a battle to reclaim lost ground on the Western Front in France there were over 2400 casualties out of 3900 Australians who…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (09:47:30) — I rise to update the house on the funding boost provided to Auslan training in regional Victoria by the Andrews Labor government. For the first time people in regional Victoria will be able to study Auslan qualifications up to diploma level without having to travel to Melbourne,…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (17:23:07) — I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Incorporated speech as follows: It has often been said in this house that long service leave is a benefit that all workers should enjoy, as a reward for long and faithful service, and to allow workers…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (17:26:21) — I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Incorporated speech as follows: Background on the Access to Justice Review In 2015 and 2016, the Victorian Government undertook a review into access to justice, which was aimed at reducing the barriers to dispute resolution and improving access…
Ms TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (11:29:38) — Also, on behalf of the government, I wish to sincerely thank the efforts of all staff, whether they be the clerks, the attendants, those working in the library, those working in catering or Hansard. It is an enormous effort, and it is that effort that makes working at…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (13:15:04) — Last week Minister Pulford and I visited fire-affected areas in the south-west to meet with local families, some of whom have lost so much, including their family homes. There were many fires on the St Patrick’s Day weekend, but the four main blazes at Terang, Camperdown, Garvoc and Gazette…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (10:51:20) — I rise to make a contribution to the debate and oppose the motion to revoke the planning scheme amendment GC65 moved by Mr Davis, which would have the effect of stopping work on and then further delaying the West Gate tunnel project. There are no legitimate grounds for…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (10:10:04) — I recognise that tomorrow is International Women’s Day and use this opportunity to congratulate the women in my electorate on their outstanding achievements, past and present, and note the positive encouragement of this government’s policies in encouraging the community participation of our women. Local government is one…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (09:53:21) — I rise to inform the house that the new Post Sentence Authority, charged with overseeing many of Victoria’s most serious criminals, has officially started work. The independent authority with its inaugural chair, Judge Ian Gray, will assume the role that the Adult Parole Board of Victoria (APB) played previously, but…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (16:41:15) — I do note that this bill has been before the house since about 9.45 a.m. today, and we are almost about to go into committee. Honourable members interjecting. The ACTING PRESIDENT (Ms Dunn) — Order! Ms TIERNEY — Thank you, Acting President; I was just checking to see if they were still…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (15:06:56) — Thank you for the opportunity to respond to a number of points that members of the house have made in the second reading. This bill, together with the stage one reforms, includes the most comprehensive changes to the Bail Act 1977 since it was first passed in 1977,…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (09:55:47) — I rise to update the house on the Andrews Labor government’s skills and jobs centres and the recent extension of services they provide for the Victorian community. This afternoon I will have the pleasure of launching the Bendigo Kangan Institute’s skills and jobs centre bus on the…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (11:31:30) — It is pleasing that the opposition has indicated that they do not oppose this bill. The bill consolidates, modernises and streamlines legal processes to improve accessibility and equality before the law. These are much-needed reforms. Currently there is not one guiding act that clearly sets out how…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (09:36:47) — I rise to inform the house of Labor’s steady progress on making Victoria safe. Labor has increased frontline police by over 640 since 2014. As we would all be aware, this has led to a 6.3 per cent decrease in the last crime stats report. This is the…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (15:55:48) — I rise to provide the summation in relation to the government’s position in respect of this important bill. The government has a longstanding commitment to work with Victoria Police and the Police Association Victoria (TPA) to develop a suite of reforms to comprehensively address threats and acts…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Corrections) (12:43:42) — I rise to update the house on the fire that took place at the privately operated Port Phillip Prison in the early hours of 29 November. Thankfully all staff were safely evacuated and prisoner accommodation was not impacted by the fire. While the cause of the fire is being investigated,…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (11:47:02) — I rise to sum up and provide some points of clarification that have been asked of me by members of the house, but prior to doing that I ask that the house amendment I will move in my name be circulated. This is an amendment that deals…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (11:41:45) — I rise because a number of issues have been raised in relation to acquisition; in particular Dr Rachel Carling-Jenkins raised this issue. The purpose of me standing at this point in time is to assure members of this house that the government and its agencies will continue to…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (13:27:50) — I am pleased to rise to sum up what has been an interesting discussion on this important bill before the house. This government is committed to supporting victims of family violence, and we are proud to introduce a bill which will assist people suffering from family violence…
MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) (16:53:55) — I do wish to make a contribution on the matter that has been brought to the chamber by Mr Davis in respect of the Markham estate. I would like to also continue the theme that Mr Mulino has developed in respect of those opposite actually bringing forward a motion…