Tuesday, 2 May 2023

Merri Creek trail

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (18:00): (169) My adjournment tonight is directed towards the Minister for Crime Prevention and is about a big issue for my constituents in the northern suburbs, particularly women. Last month the ABC revealed the startling inaction of the state government and Merri-bek and Darebin councils in addressing the crisis of sexual offences along the Merri Creek trail. This is a beautiful part of Melbourne that I am proud to represent, but the trail for decades has been the location of harrowing violence and sexual assault cases. It was not until 2019 when a woman was raped and nearly drowned that there was finally some proper attention and a review was commissioned. But it has been three years, and the researchers at Monash University who conducted the review have seen almost nothing come from their recommendations, not even lighting underpasses at critical points along the trail. These locations include the Moreland Road underpass, which was specifically requested by nearly half the women surveyed.

In response to ABC inquiries the mayor of Merri-bek Angelica Panopoulos told the ABC the council had implemented a range of actions, including cutting back vegetation for visibility and widening local paths, but while this is a step in the right direction, it is quite literally trimming the edges of the problem. We need to listen to the community and to experts. Dr Bianca Fileborn, who led the research effort, wants authorities to tackle the root cause of harassment. She said she found it difficult engaging with the government in her research. She said that some departments quite overtly told her that they did not think this issue was relevant to them.

The failure of successive state and local governments to see this as their problem to solve brings us to the horrible situation where young women are being forced to consider whether the northern suburbs and the inner north are safe places for them. When we talk about issues of women’s rights, this is quite fundamental. Why is it safe for me as a bloke to go exercising in the northern suburbs but my wife cannot? I want northern suburbs where my daughter can grow up and safely exercise in places like the beautiful Merri Creek trail. The action I seek from the minister is to explain whether the government views this as a problem and to explain what they are doing to ensure these critical safety upgrades are delivered. And if councils will not step up, will the minister explain what the government will do?