Thursday, 31 October 2024

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (09:52): I am speaking today in relation to the response that I have had via Instagram to a request I put out recently asking people in my local community for some of the issues that they think should be discussed here in Parliament. It has been quite an interesting response we have had from those out in the local community, who have raised issues around youth crime, why offenders continue to get let out so quickly and why the bail laws were weakened by the Labor government. They have got concerns about government care and children in government care, particularly around those young people who have been dying in government care, and the reports of prostitution happening in government care across the state. They raise the issues of day care fees and the cost-of-living crisis we are facing in this state. Many were concerned about government corruption and the Labor government continuously trying to ignore the issues around corruption under their own watch here in the state. They have asked about reports this week that magistrates are being given training to give lenient sentences so those people who have sentences who are at risk of deportation are treated differently in the eyes of the law. One of the good questions in there is ‘Why is Labor addicted to tax?’ They were questioning why this government continues to raise taxes on housing. As we know out in our area, we have got a housing crisis issue, with people trying to find rental properties. They have also asked why Victoria Police and the government have stopped negotiating and why the government has walked away from the negotiating table, and asked the government to respect Victoria Police and give them the pay they deserve.