Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (13:21): I rise today to highlight the priorities of my community in Ringwood. Recently I put out a call asking locals to nominate the issues they wanted raised in this place and received some great responses. People spoke about graffiti in their streets and the impact it has on community pride. They raised smoke and air quality and what that means for their health and wellbeing. They demanded action on the Maroondah Hospital rebuild and shared the importance of protecting crucial health services close to home. They shared their views about teachers and making sure they are properly supported and valued. They sounded the alarm about the environment and the kind of future we are building for the next generation. These issues are different, but the message is consistent: people want to be heard, they want practical action and they want follow-through, and they expect a government that is responsive to their concerns, responsible in its decisions and focused on what matters most. My community deserves nothing less.