Wednesday, 6 March 2024

Bills

Statute Law Revision Bill 2024

Second reading

Debate resumed.

Bronwyn HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (18:01): It is sort of deja vu; I think I was talking about the importance of amending legislation. Whether it is a small, tiny rectification over omissions or typographical errors, this is very important legislation. I think I was talking a little bit about, for example, how it is important for legislation to be exactly watertight, because it is the vehicle to provide services to Victorians, support to Victorians and also protections to Victorians. The example I think I was talking about was the Porter Davis collapse, where many customers or homebuyers were having their homes built by Porter Davis when that collapsed. Then it was discovered that the company did not have the insurance that was important to protect consumers in the event of such events, and the state government had to step in and support many of the first home buyers to provide the compensation and to ensure that things would happen as if they had the insurance that they, through no fault of their own, did not realise that they did not have.

Another good example of why legislation requires amendments and change from time to time, and this is a more substantial example, is the legislation regarding sunset clauses. Again I am talking about protection for homebuyers, because there is a lot of this going on – a lot of building happening in the Thomastown electorate, particularly in the newer suburbs of Wollert and the north of Epping. We have had cases where again the Labor government had to step in, when developers were abusing the sunset clauses of legislation that were supposed to protect the consumer by ensuring that if a house was not built or the transaction did not happen in time, they could actually declare that transaction null and void. In actual fact developers were using sunset clauses as a loophole and using that to sever the contract that they had with a homebuyer because land prices were going up so fast they could make a much bigger profit if they resold it on. This was a really substantial loophole that required legislative amendment to ensure that that loophole was addressed. Again, that is another reason why we often have to amend many pieces of legislation, because sadly often there are people that find ways to exploit legislation, to find gaps and holes, and then we are always sort of chasing back and using that experience to provide further protections.

Of course when we are talking about housing – I know that there have been lots of questions during question time – I look at the new Epping social housing that has been built in record time in the electorate of Thomastown. There are I think something like 150 new dwellings. That was a partnership between a private developer, Riverlee, in collaboration with the City of Whittlesea, the Victorian government and Haven Home Safe and also Ramsay Health, because this is a project that not only provides social housing and affordable housing but also provides additional health care. This is going to be an incredible project, also with lots of open space and native flora and fauna. Of course the state government contributed money through the housing growth fund, and we hope to see that project continue and be more and more successful. So that is yet another example of what this state Labor government is doing, the Allan Labor government, to support, protect and provide for Victorians and also the absolutely crucial role that the legislation plays in this in terms of ensuring that these services can be delivered and entities that deliver these services are also properly working. This legislation, which is of course many, many amendments to many, many different pieces of legislation, is important, and it is something that we should all be supporting.

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (18:06): Acting Speaker Walters, it is lovely to see you in the chair. I move:

That the debate be adjourned.

Motion agreed to and debate adjourned.

Ordered that debate be adjourned until later this day.