Thursday, 5 February 2026

 Jordan CRUGNALE (Bass) (15:00): (1497) My question is to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events. A petition with over 4000 signatures, the Save Our MotoGP campaign, championed by local legend Rosa Scarlato of Pino’s Trattoria, calls for securing this major event at Phillip Island beyond its current contract, which is due to expire at the end of this year. The community and Bass Coast council have been super active, and my office has been inundated with supportive emails. We do not want to lose it. The 2025 event saw record attendance. MotoGP injects over $60 million into our local economy, supporting small businesses and tourism jobs and drawing visitors from near and far, backdropped by a spectacular coastline beamed worldwide. Understanding negotiations are still underway and remain commercial in confidence and our government has stated its clear support for keeping the event here in my electorate, Minister, what can our community do to help secure the event?

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, may I refer you to a number of matters that you have already raised in terms of outstanding matters: adjournment matter 1049 and constituency questions 1299, 1359, 1393, 1408 and 1450, all to the Premier. I do note that all of those you have already written to the Premier about and none of those have been responded to. I would seek your guidance as to what we can do if your letters are being ignored by the Premier.

The SPEAKER: Give your list to the Clerk, please.

Martin Cameron: On a point of order, Speaker, I also have some overdue questions for the Minister for Education, the Minister for Regional Development, the Premier, the Minister for Police, the Minister for the State Electricity Commission and the Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, and particularly question 1985 to the Minister for Mental Health. It is well and truly over a year since it was asked.

The SPEAKER: I ask you to pass your list to the Clerk, please.

James Newbury: On a further point of order, Speaker, in consultation with a number of my colleagues, they have raised with me concerns that though you are reading in a list of outstanding questions sporadically to the chamber, unfortunately the ministers are ignoring those requests from the Speaker to respond to them. I am seeking your guidance as to what we can do to hurry along or even receive responses. Many of them are well over a year –

The SPEAKER: Member for Brighton, I am happy to have a conversation with you about this matter in my office.

James Newbury: On a further point of order, Speaker, I am entitled to raise this in the chamber, and I –

The SPEAKER: I never said you were not, member for Brighton. I asked you to come and see me in my office to have a conversation about it.