Thursday, 2 May 2024

Responses

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (17:29): The member for Mildura asked me a question in relation to funding for the Victorian patient transport assistance scheme. This is a really important scheme for people in rural and regional Victoria. It provides a subsidy to people that have to travel to access the healthcare services that they need. It is for eligible patients who live in a designated rural area and who need to travel either 100 kilometres one way or 500 kilometres per week to see a medical specialist. I am very happy to note the request from the member for Mildura and also to point to the great work that our government has done to ensure that the people of Mildura are better able to access the health care that they need. Of course it was our government that brought the Mildura hospital back into public hands after it had been privatised by a previous Liberal–National government. It was also a great pleasure to not that long ago visit Mildura hospital, which was one of the first sites to be a hub partner with the Royal Women’s Hospital to deliver public IVF services to the people of Mildura. When we are talking about the tyranny of distance, ensuring that women and couples can access public IVF services in a place like Mildura is fantastic.

The member for Footscray raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Mental Health requesting that the minister visit her electorate and meet with traders at the Footscray mall. I am very happy to speak directly with the minister. I am sure she would look forward to doing that and meeting with your traders, and I am sure she appreciates the request you have made for her, member for Footscray. The member for Nepean, who I note is no longer in the chamber, requested that the Treasurer fund various projects in his electorate. The member for Bentleigh, who is in the chamber, requested that the Premier join with him in opening the performing arts centre at Bentleigh Secondary College. Having been in this place as long as the member for Bentleigh, I know on so many occasions the member for Bentleigh has celebrated the wonderful performances that he has seen given by students in their musicals. I know that this will have been a real passion project of his. I am sure that the Premier would look forward to joining you, member for Bentleigh. The member for Warrandyte, who is no longer in the chamber, had a matter for the attention of the Minister for Creative Industries, and she requested funding for a pottery studio in her electorate.

The member for Mulgrave had a matter for the attention of the Minister for Education, and she is requesting that the Minister for Education join her at Springvale Park Specialist Developmental School to look at the outcomes of increased investment in that school. The member for Mulgrave, being relatively new to the chamber, may or may not know that it is our government, in the 10 years that we have been in, that has invested in every specialist developmental school in the state. That was a project that education ministers have taken very, very seriously. While I am on my feet, can I encourage everyone to look on iView for a doco on the Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School, which is about their journey to perform their school production, and it is absolutely winning hearts and minds everywhere. It is called This Is Going To Be Big.

The member for Richmond, who is no longer in the chamber, raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Consumer Affairs requesting that she regulate Airbnb. The member for Kororoit raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action that the member for Kororoit has requested is that the minister join her in her electorate to consider options to meet the increased traffic demand on Christies Road in Ravenhall and that she consider ways in which that road could be upgraded in order to meet that increased demand.

The member for Murray Plains, who is in the chamber, raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Skills and TAFE, and the matter that he has requested is that the minister meet with the Swan Hill council and the Swan Hill issues group to hear their concerns and consider their proposition that Swan Hill be considered a standalone Australian Multicultural Education Services service region and that AMES be established in Swan Hill in order to better serve the multicultural and refugee communities within his electorate. The member for Ripon raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, and I want to acknowledge the extraordinary work that the member for Ripon has done in supporting her community through some very, very challenging times. The member has requested that the minister join her and convene an urgent round table to discuss what more can be done to stop men’s violence against women and children.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, Minister. Thank you, members. Thank you to the staff. The house now stands adjourned.

House adjourned 5:35 pm.