Tuesday, 3 October 2023
Business of the house
Program
Business of the house
Program
That, under standing order 94(2), the orders of the day, government business, relating to the following bills be considered and completed by 5 pm on 5 October 2023:
Education and Training Reform Amendment (Land Powers) Bill 2023
Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill 2023
Triple Zero Victoria Bill 2023.
It is fantastic to be back after a relatively short but certainly eventful break, and what a privilege it is to stand here as the Leader of the House with a new leadership team with the Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan MP, the member for Bendigo East. We are so excited about the possibility that our new Premier brings with her, a fantastic focus that she has already articulated on fixing our housing challenges here in the state of Victoria. The ministry as it has been reorganised reflects that priority of our new Premier and of course her focus on children. Only our Andrews–Allan Labor governments have had a consistent focus on young people in this state, through some of our world-leading initiatives, including Best Start, Best Life.
We are very excited to be back here today with a full program, a lot of very important bills to debate in the house this week. I know, I anticipate and I hope that those on the other side will see fit to support the government business program this week because, as I said, we have got three very important bills to debate. I know as always that members on this side of the house are ready and willing and able to get up and contribute to the very important debates that I anticipate we will see this week. Before I go into talking a little bit about those bills, can I take the opportunity to welcome the new member for Warrandyte. Of course we look forward to her inaugural speech being delivered tomorrow night. We know what an important occasion it is for all members of the house and what a great privilege and honour it is to be sworn in as a member of this place, and the inaugural speech obviously is such an important time to outline your own values and the contributions that you hope to make as a member of this place.
The Education and Training Reform Amendment (Land Powers) Bill 2023 is all about ensuring that our government can deliver on the many great and important reforms for early childhood in this state. We know the real benefits that come from making sure that kindergarten is available to all children, not just those whose parents can afford it, which has been the case in the past. As we expand eligibility for kinder and we expand the number of hours in which children are able to attend, and indeed as we introduce pre-prep – that 30-hour play-based learning week – for all four-year-olds, we need to ensure that we have in place the powers that we need in order to be able to build all the new infrastructure that we need in order to deliver those kindergartens.
A bill that I know everyone across the house will want to contribute on is of course the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill 2023. It fulfils our government’s commitment to legislating a ban on the hateful, vile Nazi salute, and I look forward to the whole of the house supporting that bill when it is debated.
Finally, the Triple Zero Victoria Bill 2023 – this is a really important piece of work, and I want to thank the Minister for Emergency Services in the other place for all that she has done to be able to bring this bill to the house. Our government accepted in principle the 20 recommendations identified as part of the ESTA capability service review led by former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Graham Ashton in 2022. The government is committed to commencing the legislation swiftly following its passage through Parliament. Of course it is a bill that seeks to strengthen the governance, the accountability and the oversight of Victoria’s 000 services. We need to ensure that we have got a real partnership between each and every one of our emergency services sectors and we are looking also to make sure that that entity is brought closer to government for greater accountability and oversight by government.
On that note, again, it is going to be a big and exciting week as always. The Allan Labor government is all about delivering for the people of Victoria, and that is what our government business program is about.
James NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:26): It is a historic day with the change of the Premier – as we just heard, the announcement of the resignation of the former member for Mulgrave – and the new Premier in the chamber for the first sitting day. As we come into the chamber I know that we and all Victorians are watching closely to see what if anything will change about this government and what if anything will change about the behaviour of and the issues that the community clearly had with the government. I note the Leader of the House was speaking about support for children and support for child care after refusing leave to a member seeking to introduce a number of motions on that very issue. So there are actions and there are words, and it is okay to come into this place and say you stand for something but then effectively vote against members having the opportunity to put those issues on the record and, in that member’s case, raise those motions on making more child care available.
In terms of the government business program, this week, for the first time in this term, there are bills; there are bills this week. On this side of the chamber, when the government business program was released we saw that the government had actually drafted some things and the Parliament would be debating bills. It was novel for us to see that rather than debating sledge motions, we will be debating some bills, which is what we have been calling for. I think it is important – and I thank the government for listening to the calls not only of the opposition but also of all Victorians – that there are bills to be debated for the first week this term. There are, as the leader of the house said, a number of bills that are important. I know the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill 2023 is one. All three bills I am sure will have many members across both sides speak on them, but that is one particular bill that I personally and the member for Caulfield have been lobbying for, for want of a better term, for years, which has come out of committee work several years ago and has become an important feature of the week for us to all speak on.
As the Leader of the House also said, and can I say with some excitement, we are so happy on this side of the chamber for the new member for Warrandyte to have been sworn in this morning. We welcome the member for Warrandyte to this place. As we agreed earlier, the member for Warrandyte will be giving her first speech tomorrow afternoon at 6 o’clock, and I hope that every member will be in here. I hope that the community switches on the online streaming to watch it, because it is so exciting to see such a wonderful person not only elected by their community but also given the opportunity to speak in this place. I know that we are all very, very excited to be here for the member’s first speech.
In terms of the government business program, because of the depth of a number of the bills, I approached the Leader of the House seeking an opportunity to take one of the bills into consideration in detail. We feel that it is important that a government provide an opportunity for the house to scrutinise bills. Unfortunately the government declined our request to take the bill into consideration in detail, which we were clearly disappointed by, surprised by and shocked by, frankly. So on that basis we cannot support the government business program. I am sorry, Leader of the House. I do hope that in the future, when we request that a bill go into consideration in detail, ministers have the capacity to actually debate bills and have an understanding of what the bill contains and the government is not afraid to take those bills into the consideration in detail, because that truly is what it is about: the government does not agree to consideration in detail because ministers do not understand the depth of the bills and they do not have the capacity on their feet to defend the bills. So unfortunately we will not be supporting the government business program, but we look forward to seeing this government and how this government behaves.
Tim RICHARDSON (Mordialloc) (12:31): What a moment to rise in this place as we recognise the resignation of the member for Mulgrave, the former Premier of Victoria. Such a significant legacy has been left across Victoria by a really transformational Premier, and it has been incredible to see that and then to move through to Premier Allan, who has not missed a beat – an absolutely incredible transition. What this means for our Parliament, our democracy and our communities has been substantial. To see the incoming Premier put housing and our kids on the agenda is really exciting. Some might say that in a government business program or a government business agenda, whether it is more of the same or something changes, what does not change is the huge talent that is on our side, delivering a transformational agenda – just the housing statement that was released a little while ago. So to see our ministers and a significant time where portfolios move around as well and see that team put together is really, really amazing.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, this is a procedural motion. It is not an opportunity to talk about the personality spats over recent days in relation to Labor’s reshuffle.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Mordialloc, this is about the government business program. I ask you to speak to the government business program.
Tim RICHARDSON: Yes. I am just acknowledging the huge agenda that this government is undertaking, and we see that the bills coming forward this week are just another story in the work that has been done to get to this point. The bill in education regulation has a lot of interest on our side as we undertake a huge kinder reform agenda. It is a great opportunity for members to talk about early childhood education – not to come forward with motions that they cooked up over a three-week period. That is not government business, that is grandstanding for 15 seconds for a grab on Facebook. That is not doing the hard work of government business. I have done stats before. I have looked through contributions from members across the Parliament. I do not know how many put their name down on the bill, and the member for – he has got relevance deprivation, seriously.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, again, this is a tight procedural motion. I understand the former member for Mulgrave never spoke on a second reading this term, but that is not –
The SPEAKER: Order! I ask for points of order to be succinct. There is no point of order.
Tim RICHARDSON: So it is important around how the week runs, and some might be sensitive about that; that is okay. Hopefully there has been a big chat about more contributions on behalf of communities during the government business program. There are three significant bills coming forward, so let us see, out of all the contributions and the names that are put down, how many people put their communities’ interests forward, because so far the government business contributions from us on this side for bills have been substantial. There have been a few stand-outs on the government business program. I want to give a shout-out to the member for Eildon and the member for Gippsland South, who do great work and make a great amount of the contributions; I think they do a third of the bill speeches. They are literally carrying that team. I did not see that get reflected in the shuffle recently, but that is okay; they do a lot of work and a have a lot of contributions coming forward. Hopefully on the Triple Zero Victoria Bill 2023, which is really important work with the reforms and the recommendations that have been put forward, there will be contributions and recognition of the work that has been done and then we will see that come forward in the health area. Obviously the minister does an outstanding power of work in that space.
Then to see the early childhood space – I absolutely love the transformation that is going on across our state. It really is nation-leading reform. The fact that that bill has come forward to this Parliament on this day gives members an opportunity to reflect on their kinders locally, the contribution our early childhood educators make and what the significant reform of scaling up pre-prep means. It is such a transformation. It did not have bipartisan support or multipartisan support; that is okay. Hopefully members can come to their government business contributions and really back in this policy and back in this legislation, which scales up kinder and scales up pre-prep.
I think this is the only time I would probably ever agree with the member for Brighton on anything. The Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill 2023 is a really important piece of legislation for inclusion and for the protection of communities. It is absolutely acknowledged that the work that has been done through committees to get to this point has been substantive and has made sure that it is impactful and that it is implemented right. There has been a power of work done, so to the Attorney-General, thank you for the work that has brought this bill to the Parliament. Really, across the Parliament there is a significant amount of interest in speaking to and acknowledging this as a significant moment for our state.
Finally, a shout-out to the member for Warrandyte. It is a wonderful opportunity when you come in and get elected to stand up on behalf of your community and share your values and your story of how you have come to be in this place. So all of us will be tuning in at 6 pm tomorrow. We wish her well in that contribution and look forward to hearing her story, her personal account and how she will represent her community in Warrandyte.
Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (12:36): I am happy to say a few words on the government business program. I will begin by endorsing the member for Mordialloc’s commentary about the member for Warrandyte – the new member for Warrandyte. We all look forward to hearing her inaugural speech tomorrow night. It is a great honour to be in this place as a member of Parliament and as a representative of your community. I wish her all the best in her career and for her speech tomorrow night, which I look forward to.
As much as I do say it is an honour to be in this place, sometimes as a local member it is also difficult to be in this place at the wrong time. If I could make a very oblique connection to the Triple Zero Victoria Bill 2023 and perhaps, Speaker, with your indulgence, make a couple of comments. My community and the community of my colleague the member for Gippsland East are currently under threat from bushfire at the moment. Literally as we speak, I am very anxiously watching what is happening in Loch Sport. The fire has crisscrossed around the area and now, with potential wind changes, is threatening right on the edge of Loch Sport, which has only got one road in and one road out. I am quite anxious about what is happening there. I have just received a text from my wife to say it has started raining in Sale. There are a few spots being heard on rooftops in Loch Sport, but not much at the moment, and looking at the radar there does appear to be a bit of a hole around the areas that the fire is. But hopefully as the afternoon progresses the rain will come and address that issue. My thoughts are with the people of Loch Sport, Seacombe, Golden Beach, Paradise Beach and the areas around, which are under threat as we speak. I hope that very soon that threat will pass. Certainly there is concern. It has just been reported on social media – I hope this is wrong – that the Loch Sport police station has burnt down. I do hope that is wrong; it has not been confirmed as yet. Again, that is right on the edge of town. My thoughts go out to everyone who is concerned in Loch Sport at the moment and the surrounding area.
My great thanks of course to the many hundreds of CFA volunteers who are working not just in Loch Sport but also on the Briagolong fire and elsewhere and to the Forest Fire Management Victoria firefighters, who are doing their best in what have been pretty difficult circumstances in the last couple of days. There is fire now; we have forecasts for floods. My colleague the member for Gippsland East and I are getting the Emergency Management Victoria warnings to evacuate for fire and then, in the next day or two, for potential floods. It is just extraordinary. I do hope that soon that threat will pass. I thank you, Speaker, for your indulgence on that.
The government business program – as the member for Brighton indicated, it is interesting to actually have three bills to be debating this week. I thought it was a bit rich that the member for Mordialloc was talking about us putting up motions that are not important. That is what we have been debating on the government business program all year. There has been hardly any legislation, so they have been putting up motions.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Gippsland South, through the Chair.
Danny O’BRIEN: Sorry, Speaker. We have got three bills this week, including the Education and Training Reform Amendment (Land Powers) Bill 2023, which I look forward to debating. I heard the member for Mordialloc say what great things there are. We are bringing this bill now to allow us to build more early learning centres and child care as there were a number of announcements, including, both in the budget and in this bill, for Foster. Members will be surprised to learn that the Foster Early Learning centre has been open since the start of the year. I am not sure how they funded it, because it was only just funded in the budget in May, but anyway, the government is a little bit all over the shop on that particular one.
Tim Richardson: Did you get an invite?
Danny O’BRIEN: No, I did not get an invite to the opening. That is another sore point, member for Mordialloc, that once again local members do not get invited to these things unless they are on the right side of the chamber.
We also have the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill 2023, which I look forward to speaking on, and the Triple Zero Victoria Bill 2023, which is very important. As I indicated, right now our emergency services are critical to the state and there have been significant failures in that area, particularly with respect to ambulances, over last couple of years, so I look forward to hearing whether this is actually going to make a difference. But it is disappointing that once again on this legislation we do not get the opportunity to go into consideration in detail to further debate it, and as a result that is why the opposition will not be supporting the government business program.
Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (12:41): In rising I would like to acknowledge the situation that is currently happening in the electorate of the member for Gippsland South and convey the thoughts and best wishes of my community and I am sure every other member’s community in this house as well. In that respect we would like to acknowledge and pay our respects.
I rise to proudly speak in support of the first government business program of the new Allan Labor government. In doing so I would like to acknowledge and commend the outgoing Premier Daniel Andrews for his distinguished service to this state and for all of the government business programs he oversaw the implementation of, which have delivered us a legacy of landmark projects and policy reforms that will benefit us for generations to come. I would also like to congratulate the new Premier and Deputy Premier on their respective elevations, both of whom I look forward to working with, beginning with the adoption of this very first government business program, which I am pleased to support. In doing so I would like to also acknowledge and commend the member for Warrandyte for being elected, and I look forward to her first speech tomorrow night as well.
This is a government business program that follows in the tradition of preceding Labor government business programs, which since 2014 have been all about getting things done, doing what matters for people and taking real action to build a better and fairer state, whether it is across jobs, education, transport, health, environment or social justice. While we on this side of the house remain ever focused every day on delivering for the Victorian people regardless of their postcode or what their income is or what their background is, it is sadly the Liberal–National opposition who continue to remain ever focused on the politics of fear, division and opposition. While Labor has continued to govern since 2014 with real purpose that has been accompanied by real action, the Liberal–National opposition continue to oppose for opposition’s sake, as is the case in opposing this week’s government business program. The sad reality is that there are absolutely no fresh ideas whatsoever from this Liberal–National opposition, who appeared to be Pesutto-ing. If the Liberal–National parties’ idea of a refresh is to bring back a Matt, it should not be the Matt from Bulleen, it should be the Matt from the UK.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, this is a procedural debate. I know it is the member’s first time speaking on this and a member speaking for the first time does get some latitude, but this is now drivel, and I ask you to bring the member back to the procedural debate.
The SPEAKER: Order! Manager of Opposition Business, I ask you to keep your points of order succinct. The member will come back to the government business program.
Anthony CIANFLONE: Thank you, Speaker. In doing so I would also like to acknowledge that if the opposition were serious about actually considering the agenda of the government business program, it would not be appointing a cost-of-living shadow minister with 17 properties who belongs on Shark Tank, not in the shadow cabinet.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, firstly the member has defied your ruling and shown that this government are more interested in nasty personal sledges than debating their own motion.
The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Pascoe Vale, I ask you to speak to the government business program.
Anthony CIANFLONE: Thank you, Speaker. This government business program will help us pursue a better and fairer state. We are going to be debating, all going well of course, three very important bills this sitting week that will actually make a real difference to the lives of Victorians. The bills are the culmination of an enormous amount of work by the respective ministers, their offices, departments and this government – all of whom I thank and acknowledge. They include the Education and Training Reform Amendment (Land Powers) Bill 2023, the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill 2023, which I look forward to speaking on as well, and the Triple Zero Victoria Bill 2023.
Beginning with the education and training reform amendment bill, this is a bill that will actually help us in delivering better kindergartens and early childhood learning opportunities for families across the state. The bill seeks to expand the state’s powers to acquire and develop land or to take or grant other interests in land for the purposes of providing early childhood education, care and associated services as part of the Best Start, Best Life reforms. These are groundbreaking reforms. Free kinder for three-year-olds and four-year-olds will be a game changer in terms of young people and children – not just in their early years and with their cognitive development now but also in their future years – and help to give them the foundation for a good, prosperous, healthy life, no matter their income, no matter their background and no matter the postcode of their families.
Secondly, the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Salute Prohibition) Bill reaffirms the Victorian Labor government’s commitment to combating racism and hate. In good faith I do acknowledge the strong interest and support of the member for Brighton and also the member for Gippsland South and other members –
James Newbury: Caulfield.
Anthony CIANFLONE: Sorry – I apologise – Caulfield, who have done a lot of work in this space too on the other side. All Victorians deserve to feel accepted, safe and respected, and that is why in response to a mounting number of abhorrent incidents that have occurred over recent times, we are moving to legislate a ban on the Nazi salute by prohibiting the public display or performance of any symbol or gesture used by the Nazi party – (Time expired)
Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (12:46): I just want to say a couple of words on the Greens position on this. We will be opposing the government business program in this case. We feel like going into the third reading or consideration in detail or committee – it is called a number of different things – is a really important tenet of our democracy, and we have not done it once in the last year in this Parliament. I think we did it only twice – if my memory serves me correctly – in the last Parliament over four years. It is a chance for members to get up to ask detailed questions about bills which will become most likely law in this state, so it is quite a significant thing. It is a chance for members to ask questions of the ministers directly responsible for those bills, to have those questions answered and to have things clarified so that the community can understand the impact of that legislation, and yet we do not do it at all. It is a real blight on our democracy that we do not do that. It means that this chamber is not functioning as it is supposed to. It means that members cannot represent their constituencies the way they should.
We have long argued for several changes to the standing orders in this place, including time for non-government members to get up and raise matters, including bills but also for consideration in detail or the third reading of the legislation that comes before us. It is a longstanding position of the Greens. While the three bills that we have before us today are important and the Greens support them – they are things that are making important changes to our laws – the community has a right to understand what those changes are and to really look into the detail of them. So for that reason, in this instance we will not be supporting the government business program.
Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, with your indulgence, I just reported the news that the Loch Sport police station had been burnt down and that I hoped that was not the case. To correct the record, it has been confirmed by police media that that is not an accurate report. So that is a good news story, and I thank you for your indulgence in correcting the record.
Assembly divided on motion:
Ayes (51): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Darren Cheeseman, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Paul Edbrooke, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Martha Haylett, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Lauren Kathage, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Tim Pallas, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Noes (31): Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Annabelle Cleeland, Chris Crewther, Gabrielle de Vietri, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, Sam Hibbins, Emma Kealy, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Kim O’Keeffe, John Pesutto, Tim Read, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, Ellen Sandell, David Southwick, Bill Tilley, Bridget Vallence, Peter Walsh, Kim Wells, Nicole Werner, Jess Wilson
Motion agreed to.