Thursday, 18 August 2022

Responses

Ms BLANDTHORN (Pascoe Vale—Leader of the House, Minister for Planning) (17:32): I am pleased to respond to the member for Gembrook in my capacity as the Minister for Planning regarding his request to visit with residents in the Hampton community regarding the tip—

A member: Hampton Park.

Ms BLANDTHORN: the Hampton Park community, sorry; I did have that written here—in Narre Warren South and the zones around the tip. I am advised that this is currently going through the council process, as is appropriate. If it does come to me, I am happy to give due consideration to the matters that the member has raised, but I am advised that the council submissions were extended until 14 August and so have only just closed this week, so I will of course let it follow its due process.

The member for Mordialloc has raised a matter for the Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep regarding the three- and four-year-old kindergarten program as well as the pre-prep program being rolled out, and in particular the member for Mordialloc was interested in how many families in Kingston and Greater Dandenong will benefit from this policy. As the mother of a three-year-old—a four-year-old, sorry; I would be in big trouble for that. We are already planning her fifth birthday, so to call her a three-year-old would not go down well. But, yes, this is a very important policy being rolled out across our community, and I will pass that on to the minister.

The member for Ovens Valley raised an issue for the Minister for Community Sport regarding the Myrtleford Saints and in particular the playing surface that has suffered rain damage. He is seeking some consideration and visitation regarding the redevelopment of the ground so that the club can continue to play their games there and so the club’s finances are not compromised as a result of those games potentially being shifted elsewhere. I will pass that on to the minister. The member for Mount Waverley raised a matter for the Minister for Public Transport regarding Ashwood High School and in particular bus capacity. The buses there do service a big catchment area, and I am sure the Minister for Public Transport would be very pleased to have that conversation with the member and of course the member for Burwood as well. The member for Forest Hill raised a matter regarding COVID vaccines, and I will pass that on to the Minister for Health.

The member for Northcote raised a matter for the Minister for Education requesting that she visit the Thornbury Primary School, which I know, with it being close to my own community, is an outstanding primary school that is particularly servicing a need for Koori education, and it has won awards for doing so. It also has a very special relationship with the Croxton special development school. The member for Northcote has been a great advocate for this school and other schools in her community so they receive funding for modern facilities that reflect the teaching and learning that happen in those schools, and I am sure the Minister for Education will look favourably upon her request. The member for Brunswick raised a matter for the Premier regarding a parliamentary integrity commissioner. The member for Eltham raised a matter for the Minister for Local Government, in particular requesting that she visit the outdoor activation sites within her electorate. That is a $40 million program that coming out of COVID has serviced all of our local communities greatly.

The member for Eildon has raised a matter for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety regarding an intersection in Healesville that has some community safety concerns. It is a busy intersection. As a former student of Mount Lilydale Mercy College, I do know very well the McKenzie’s buses that take that route. The member for Burwood has raised a matter for the Minister for Energy and in particular has requested that she meet with eastern suburbs residents regarding the power saving bonus and the important concessions that this is achieving for so many residents for whom the cost of energy is prohibitive, so I am sure that the minister would be pleased to take up that matter also.

The SPEAKER: The house now stands adjourned.

House adjourned 5.36 pm until Tuesday, 30 August.