Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Responses

Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Minister for Health Infrastructure) (19:23): First and foremost, in relation to the question that the member for Narracan asked, my sincere condolences to you for the loss of your father. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to be able to give you a date right here and now. However, what I can do is tell you the work that has been undertaken to be able to fulfil that commitment in terms of the Warragul hospital. The Victorian Health Building Authority has undertaken master planning activities and reviewed the asset condition of the existing infrastructure that is there. We are continuing with that detailed planning work. As you would appreciate, there were four hospitals that were part of that $320 million commitment that was in the 2023–24 budget. We are continuing to work with the Department of Health to be able to prioritise what those needs are, but we need to actually work out what the existing asset is and what the planning is that needs to be done. That is the work that is underway, and I am really happy to have a further conversation with the member about that as that work proceeds.

In relation to the question that the member for Hawthorn asked, road safety, I have got to say, is the thing that keeps me awake at night. It is the most important thing that we can focus on in a bipartisan way across the government, because we are seeing the worst road toll statistics in more than two decades. I am more than happy to ask the department to review those speed limits. I appreciate that infrastructure like bollards may not necessarily be an appropriate treatment, but I think it is incumbent on government to look at what we can do to improve road safety outcomes, particularly as we are seeing at this point in time in the calendar a disproportionate cohort of vulnerable road users – your pedestrians but also your motorcyclists – losing their lives on the road network. My thoughts go out to everyone in that situation.

In relation to other matters, we had the member for Laverton raise a matter for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. We had the members for Eildon and Bass raise matters for the Minister for Environment. We had the member for Kororoit raise a matter for the Minister for Education. The member for Ringwood, who I understand has gone through significant family trauma today in terms of the road toll, and my thoughts are with him and his family, raised a matter for the Premier. We had the member for Pascoe Vale raise a matter for the Minister for Education. We had the member for Cranbourne raise a very exciting matter for the Minister for Creative Industries, and the member for Caulfield raised a matter for the Minister for Police. I will refer them accordingly.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Minister. The house stands adjourned until tomorrow morning.

House adjourned 7:27 pm.