Tuesday, 8 September 2026

 Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (19:05): (1822) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Youth, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide me with an update on the ongoing investments, programs and resources that our Victorian Labor government continues to make to provide for and help young people across my electorate of Pascoe Vale and my community of Merri-bek. Further to my adjournment matter of 27 August, I again raise this youth matter in the context of the future of the Don Bosco youth centre and hostel. As I previously said, both the Salesians and Merri-bek council have a fundamental and important role here to step up in helping us explore and progress consideration for future opportunities. With respect to the Salesians, along with extending the EOI process, we also urge them to publicly disclose any records, documentation or information available regarding the original donation by the local Danelli family in 1939 of the land and the site on which Don Bosco now sits, including any known terms, conditions, understandings or expectations attached to the donation and the intended ongoing use of the land for young people and community in perpetuity.

As Merri-bek continues to grow, including via the central Coburg, Brunswick and Sydney Road activity centre corridors, we need more recreational spaces, not less, for young people, especially children of primary school age, to learn, grow and thrive. That is why, beyond their symbolic motion of 12 August, Merri-bek council needs to also step up. They should consider and be honest with the community about whether the council could acquire or contribute towards the future acquisition of the site; whether council could partner with the future owner or not-for-profit organisation, including through contributing towards operational costs; whether council could support the continued or temporary operation of youth services at Don Bosco under a shared, non-government or other ownership-type model over the short, medium or even longer term; and whether council considers investment in other community-run or council-owned youth spaces to be a more appropriate use of its resources and if so, why. Given the significant precedent it set itself in purchasing many other strategic sites across the municipality, why can council not potentially consider the same here for Don Bosco? Also, are there any planning controls the council could consider at the appropriate time, if needed, to help preserve an ongoing space for youth activities and/or recreation activities as part of any possible future development? I remain absolutely committed to supporting my community, supporting victim-survivors and doing all I can to help facilitate a positive outcome on the future of Don Bosco. My federal and state colleagues and I continue to work very closely on this matter. However, it all begins with the Salesians and Merri-bek council firstly stepping up to take ownership and responsibility and being honest about the matters I have raised as the essential first step.

As part of this I also commend the local community on their ongoing Save Don Bosco campaign. I have continued to meet with and support them, including by welcoming them to Parliament today to meet with the Minister for Youth, Minister Grigorovitch; Sheena Watt MLC in the other place; and parent advocates Lee Cath, Erin Dale, Kate Longley and Sarah Fiddaman, all of whom did a magnificent job in articulating the strong connections so many local families have to the continuity of Don Bosco. I have also met with many others, and I commend their work: Peter Khalil, federal member for Wills; Gabe Steger, the state Labor candidate for Brunswick; Father Peter Hoang from the Salesians; Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne representatives; and many other stakeholders very interested in this issue. We are very interested in the future of Don Bosco.