Wednesday, 30 October 2019

Responses

Mr WYNNE (Richmond—Minister for Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Planning) (19:20): I will, firstly, deal with the matter raised by the member for Mildura. I was delighted a few weeks ago to join with the member for Mildura up in that wonderful part of the world to do a range of things but specifically to look at some land use and planning issues that relate to the Mildura older irrigation area (MOIA), the irrigated land that is so important to the agricultural life and economic life of Mildura. I was pleased to not only meet with the local member but also get a firsthand view of what these issues were: meeting with a landowner there and meeting with the council as well. I was pleased to have what I thought was a very fruitful conversation in the company of the member for Mildura with the council, who are genuinely trying to find a way through the conundrum of changed circumstances. Whilst the MOIA has been in place as a planning framework for a significant period of time, things have changed over that period. What we have seen of course has been in some circumstances encroachment of residential properties literally right next door to sites—in effect binding them in by residential development. The opportunity for something more productive to be done there, at least in a couple of instances, I thought was really quite clear.

My officers went away and immediately started to engage with the council to really get a sense of the scope of what we are actually dealing with here. I was pleased to hear in the contribution made by the member for Mildura that that work has now been completed, so we now understand the scope and the potential for any future development that might in fact occur there, which is a good step forward.

Can I say to the member that we are assessing the material that has been provided to us. We want to look at this carefully because it is an important decision that is being made there. I can assure the member that not only was I pleased to receive her representation to visit Mildura firsthand to understand these issues but that we are taking very seriously the request that she has made. We will look at it in a proper and timely fashion, and I assure the member that we will come back to her when we feel we are in a position to provide her with further advice on the matter.

For other members, the member for Mornington raised a matter for the Minister for Roads in relation to advocacy for further traffic light treatment in Main Street, Mornington, and I will make sure the minister is aware of that.

The member for Ringwood raised a matter for the Minister for Health, as did a number of others, relating to support for the Tinternvale Primary School for a school shade grant. I will make sure that the minister is aware of that and many other matters.

The member for Gippsland South raised a matter for the Minister for Health seeking support from her for a workforce recruitment program particularly relating to GPs and midwives in the Gippsland South area. I will make sure the minister is aware of that request.

The member for Carrum raised a matter for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure seeking that the minister visit the extraordinary redevelopment project that is going on and inspect the level crossing at Carrum and all the subsequent work that has been done there to really open up that area in, I think, a really sensational way. I am sure the minister will take up that invitation.

The member for Ripon raised a matter for the Minister for Education seeking some further funding support for the Donald High School building works, and I will make sure the minister is aware of that matter.

The member for Box Hill is also a strong advocate for school shade grants program support from the Minister for Health. This is a $10 million program, as the member indicated, over four years. It is terrific use of public funds, obviously in a most appropriate way, to support our young people particularly when it comes to exposure to harmful rays.

The member for Hawthorn raised a matter for the Minister for Mental Health—he was very brief but very precise—seeking that the minister host a very important mental health forum in his electorate. I know that the Minister for Mental Health will be very pleased to receive that representation.

The member for Caulfield raised a matter for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change seeking support to save the flower shop in Caulfield Park, which is on Crown land, he indicated, and likening this to The Castle. There are probably a number of rejoinders I could make here, but I will leave that alone. I will make sure that the minister is aware of that.

Finally, the member for Nepean raised a matter for the Minister for Health, again seeking support through this very, very successful school shade grants program. And that is it for the night.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, Minister. The house now stands adjourned until tomorrow.

House adjourned 7.26 pm.