Wednesday, 9 February 2022

Boat ramps

Ms BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:25): My question is to the Minister for Local Government. Minister, two metropolitan councils on Port Phillip Bay receive over $100 000 per annum to subsidise maintenance on two boat ramps as part of the state government’s policy to remove launching and parking fees, which were, as the councils have stated, charged for maintenance. In effect the state government is now paying maintenance costs. If we compare this, however, to East Gippsland Shire Council, which has 24 boat ramps, and Wellington Shire Council, which has 18 boat ramps, both receive nothing for maintenance from the state government because they have never charged launch or car-parking fees. Minister, do you think it is fair that the wealthier metropolitan councils are getting subsidised for boat ramps and car park maintenance when small rural councils with lesser rate bases do not?

Ms Pulford: I raise two points of order, President. One is that the member is asking Minister Leane for an opinion. The other point is that the minister responsible for the free boat ramp commitment is Minister Horne.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you for that information, Minister. Ms Bath, I ask you to direct your question to Minister Horne. Minister Pulford is representing Minister Horne.

Mr Davis: On a point of order, President, the minister does work with each of the local councils that are administering this grant. Each of those councils is administering this money as it goes out to those particular ramps, so it is appropriate to ask about this process.

The PRESIDENT: The minister has already indicated to the house who the responsible minister is, and I have given an instruction to Ms Bath to redirect her question to the minister.

Ms BATH: I would like to actually direct the question to the local government minister in relation to: the local government minister has to define—

The PRESIDENT: Ms Bath, are you changing your question? The question has already been put, and I have asked you to redirect it to Minister Horne, please.

Ms BATH: As you wish, President: to Minister Horne.

Ms Pulford: On my second point of order from earlier, President, the member is asking for an opinion, so perhaps I would seek your guidance about how asking Minister Horne for her opinion on this question is within our standing orders before I take the question for her to provide an answer, because it would seem that we are not allowed to do that.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Bath, can you reword your question, but leave it to Minister Horne, please.

Ms BATH: My question goes to Minister Horne, and my question specifically is: is it a fact that Minister Horne is directing funds to wealthier metropolitan councils rather than small regional councils?

Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:29): I thank Ms Bath for her question to Minister Horne, to which I will seek a written response in accordance with our standing orders. I am sure Minister Horne looks forward to providing Ms Bath with an update on the successful delivery of that very important election commitment.

Ms BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:30): In relation to boat ramps and looking specifically at boat ramp funding, there are a number of boat ramps in Eastern Victoria Region. Specifically at Nowa Nowa the boat ramp still needs upgrading, as do a number of them. It seems to be quite unfair that local metropolitan councils are getting significant funding but these specific councils are always scratching for additional funding. Going specifically to the Nowa Nowa boat ramp, what will the minister do to provide support and ongoing funding to councils and East Gippsland council to upgrade these really important tourist facilities?

Ms Pulford: On a point of order, President, apart from the fact that the words ‘boat ramps’ appear in the substantive and supplementary question, they do not relate to one another at all.

Mr Davis: They do.

Ms Pulford: They do not. I am telling you they do not. The first question was about the removal of fees and the other question is entirely separate to that, so I would encourage you, President, to rule this out. I think they need to go back to question time school.

Mr Davis: On the point of order, President, this is clearly about the fairness of funding across the different municipalities. The minister has a whole bureaucracy that deals with fairness in funding to councils, and in the case of these councils it is entirely appropriate to ask about whether it is fair and what steps will be taken to address that fairness, including building a boat ramp at one specific location.

The PRESIDENT: I will come back to this. We will move on.