Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Rachel WESTAWAY (Prahran) (10:04): I rise today to highlight several issues affecting residents and visitors around Melbourne’s central business district. While the CBD remains the beating heart of our city, many constituents are increasingly concerned about the day-to-day impacts on safety, accessibility and amenity. Over the past year and a half Melbourne has experienced more than 70 ‍consecutive weekends of protests. While the right to peaceful protest is fundamental in a democracy, the cumulative impact of ongoing disruptions cannot be ignored.

One of my constituents, Colleen, recently contacted my office, deeply frustrated. Colleen relies on access to her local swimming and gym facilities, as recommended by her doctor to manage her health conditions, yet repeated road closures and transport disruptions have meant that on many weekends she simply cannot get to and from these essential activities. For Colleen and others like her this is not just an inconvenience; it directly affects their wellbeing.

There are also broader concerns about the amenity of our CBD. While the City of Melbourne works tirelessly to remove graffiti and tagging, the scale and frequency of vandalism continues to undermine the appearance of our streets and public spaces. Along the heart of the banks of the Yarra River, particularly around Princes Bridge and Flinders Street station, constituents have raised disturbing reports of erosion and environmental neglect, including used syringes being washed up along the riverbanks. These are not conditions we should be putting up with.