Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Motions

Regional sitting

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (10:23): I rise to speak on my motion 48, which reads:

That this house:

(1) acknowledges the serious impact of the recent floods in Victoria;

(2) meets and sits in a flood-affected community in central northern Victoria for one day by April 2024;

(3) requires the President and the Clerk of the Legislative Council to consult with the Mitchell Shire Council, the Greater Shepparton City Council, the Campaspe Shire Council, other flood-affected local government areas in northern Victoria and parliamentary staff in relation to choosing an appropriate date and specific location for the regional sitting to occur; and

(4) authorises the President to do all things necessary to facilitate the Council sitting in central northern Victoria.

With this motion, the Liberal Party is calling for the Legislative Council to sit in a flood-affected community in northern Victoria. Of course this is not unprecedented, as during the last Parliament I moved a similar motion requiring the Council to sit in a bushfire-affected community, which resulted in the Council sitting in Bright in April 2021. Previous Parliaments also held regional sittings, between 2001 and 2012, until the Andrews Labor government decided to scrap them.

In 2001 an initiative of the Bracks government was to introduce regional sittings of both houses of the Victorian Parliament. Since that time, six regional sittings have taken place. The first regional sitting was held on 16 August 2001, when the Legislative Council sat in the City of Ballarat and the Legislative Assembly sat in the City of Greater Bendigo.

On 30 October 2002 a regional sitting of the Legislative Council was held in Benalla, and on 17 November 2005 the Legislative Council travelled to Colac and the Legislative Assembly to the City of Greater Geelong for regional settings. Then on 6 September 2008 both houses travelled to Gippsland, where the Legislative Council sat in Lakes Entrance and the Legislative Assembly in Churchill. During the 57th Parliament, on 6 September 2012, the Legislative Council sat in the City of Greater Bendigo and the Legislative Assembly sat in the City of Ballarat.

During the 58th Parliament I actually called on the Premier to hold a regional sitting in Greater Shepparton; however, the response that I received from the Premier was advice to me that the Andrews Labor government had scrapped regional settings. This decision by the Andrews government was extremely disappointing as regional sittings provide a great opportunity for the areas that are chosen to host these visits. The sixth regional sitting was of course the regional sitting in Bright in April 2021 following the bushfires and was a result of the motion that I moved in this chamber in February 2020.

Given the floods of October 2022 caused major damage in many of the communities throughout northern Victoria, it is only right that the Parliament should also visit these communities to provide locals with the opportunity to speak directly with political leaders and to show practical support for local economies, just as we did following the bushfires. Flood-affected communities deserve the respect of having Parliament meet with them and a chance to tell members of Parliament face to face what support they actually need to help them recover. Parliament has done this before; we know it can be done. It is a good thing to take Parliament to the people.

The economies of flood-affected communities need assistance to recover, and a regional sitting would provide a significant boost due to the hiring of venues and catering and the need for accommodation for members of Parliament, their staff and the staff of the Parliament. This is not cost prohibitive for the Parliament, but it would provide a great benefit to local communities in the flood areas. Even sporting clubs, service clubs and other businesses have recognised the importance of supporting flood-affected communities. The Richmond Football Club came to Shepparton earlier this year, engaged with flood-affected residents and ran a training exercise with children in Mooroopna. The CWA were in Rochester last weekend providing support to that community. Clubs and businesses recognise that going out into flood-affected communities to hold conferences or training exercises benefits those communities. This support provides a great boost to the morale of the community as well as tangible benefits to the local economy. It is the right thing to do, and Parliament should do it too.

As we know, when a natural disaster hits a community the region suffers a significant loss of visitors, revenue and job opportunities. Whilst a visit by Parliament will not replace all of the lost revenue and visitation, it will contribute to local economies and benefit them. We as MPs should set that example to encourage the rest of Victoria to also visit our flood-affected regions. Unfortunately, while floods are equally as devastating as bushfires, fires tend to stir up much more emotion than floods. I think that people think that the water recedes and residents just return to their homes, but this is not true, and many of our residents are still displaced from their homes and will continue to be displaced for many months to come. I would encourage all of you to visit the flood-affected area now as well as coming up to the region for a regional sitting. Bring your empty eskies, stay overnight, spend some money in our communities and fill those eskies with some of our great produce to bring back to Melbourne. Support our tourism industry, support our local economy and support jobs for our people who have suffered so much because of the floods. Come to the footy in Rochester and support the community. I know the president Justin Cleary would welcome you with open arms.

Let our young people know that you are behind them and that you support the recovery efforts in their town. A regional sitting is not just about MPs visiting, it also provides an education and cultural benefit for the region by providing opportunities for residents and students to actually experience firsthand the sitting of the Victorian Parliament. Many of our schools, particularly the smaller schools, do not get the opportunity to come to Melbourne and visit Parliament, but if a parliamentary sitting is held in their own area, they can actually attend, see Parliament at work and see how democracy works. A regional sitting also provides a wonderful opportunity for local community members to have access to members of Parliament who are coming up to the area for the sitting.

But the greatest benefit for the community of hosting a regional sitting is having the entire Legislative Council focused on the issues of concern to the areas that we are visiting. Holding a regional sitting in the flood-affected areas will give the people of these communities the opportunity to have access to not only government members but also opposition and crossbench MPs. As I said, it will focus every member of this chamber on the issues of those communities that have suffered so much because of the floods. A regional sitting will also give my constituents access to members on the crossbench from parties that they do not normally have access to. Whilst Northern Victoria Region has two crossbenchers – a One Nation and an Animal Justice representative – constituents do not have any interaction with the other crossbench MPs. My electorate of Northern Victoria does not have a representative from the Greens party or the Legalise Cannabis party, so I am sure many of my constituents would greatly appreciate the opportunity to interact with those parties, to have meetings with their MPs and to speak to them about their concerns – speak to them about what has happened in the floods and about how members of the Greens or Legalise Cannabis can assist them to recover.

Usually what happens when there is a local sitting is that MPs take advantage of that sitting day to actually do some visits to the region. They travel up the day before, stay overnight and meet with the locals. Committees may hold public hearings the day before or the day after the regional sitting, which gives further advantages to the region and provides additional opportunities for people to learn about how democracy works. A regional sitting also provides the opportunity to have a community reception, and that has been part of every regional sitting that I have participated in. The reception is usually quite a large event the night before the sitting, where the Parliament invites people from the community to come along, and every member of Parliament is there. So even those people who have not had the opportunity to organise a meeting with a member of Parliament can approach them at the reception and have access to all of the MPs.

I have not stipulated a town where the sitting should be held and I have left the dates open for a specific reason, and that is because I know there is a lot of work that has to be done by the clerks to find the right location for the sitting and a secondary location for the reception. The motion charges the clerks with the task of liaising with the flood-affected councils to find a location and to set a date prior to April next year. Personally, I would prefer the sitting to be held later this year, but the clerks will establish the right date – and of course they need to consult local communities, as we would not want the sitting to clash with another event in the area.

A regional sitting in the flood-affected area will demonstrate to these communities that we are actually listening. It will give them confidence that we as the decision-makers will act to refine processes to ensure better responses to floods in the future. The people in the flood-affected area have been through enough. We should not expect them to have to make appointments and then travel to Melbourne or other areas of the state, perhaps on several occasions, to access members of Parliament and to have their voices heard. It is only right that we take Parliament and the entire membership of the Legislative Council to them. A regional sitting brings government ministers. It brings shadow ministers. It brings every backbencher and every crossbencher. It brings every member of Parliament to the community for local residents to be able to have access to them and to have their say. I encourage all members of the chamber to support this motion.

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (10:33): Today I rise to speak on the damaging floods that hit communities across northern Victoria. I want to make it clear that the government does not oppose this motion, but I want to make it clear that the government does not need an excuse to visit and support flood-affected communities across northern Victoria. We are already putting in that work. While a regional sitting represents an opportunity for members of this house from non-flood-affected regions to hear directly from those Victorians impacted by the floods, we are already visiting, talking, acting, investing in what matters and supporting them. I encourage all members in this place to be doing so already.

I grew up in northern Victoria. I know what these floods meant. Homes were flooded, businesses and livelihoods were put on hold and there was wall-to-wall news coverage. It was shocking; towns and communities in northern Victoria were left devastated. I would like to commend the proactive work of the Victorian SES, who hit the doors, warning residents of the oncoming storms as well as pushing warnings to locals through the VicEmergency app and through the website in the days leading up to the flood. The VICSES had a hard job. The scale of their operation was incredible. They established more than 50 sandbag collection points across the state, helping families fortify homes against the oncoming storms. In the end over 1 million sandbags were handed out to members of the community – 1 million. Within 24 hours they saw 3049 requests for assistance, including 1766 flood incidents and 128 rescues. This is dangerous stuff, but the Victorian SES did not back down.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Victoria Police for their life-saving work, Life Saving Victoria, ESTA and the countless community members who performed almost 1000 water rescues. Much of Victoria had received its highest October rainfall on record during this time. It was record-breaking stuff – a once-in-a-generation event which saw homes destroyed, businesses closed and lives changed forever. The people needed help and VICSES, alongside many other emergency services, answered the call. The government was also quick to act. The Premier himself took active involvement, urging Victorians to be prepared for the floods through media and meeting with the Commonwealth to discuss support in our regional communities.

In the wake of this once-in-a-generation event, the government, community groups and countless volunteers were faced with a task of cleaning up, rebuilding and helping communities recover. As many of us know, the road to recovery is long, but we are making inroads. We have committed over $1.8 million of support to help communities, businesses, farmers and not-for-profits to rebuild. There are payments of $75,000 for primary producers and $50,000 for eligible businesses and not-for-profits to help pay expenses concerning fixing significant damage incurred by the floods; $15 million will help people who have complex needs to secure alternative accommodation and will also deliver additional counselling services; and $22 million will help establish up to 16 recovery hubs. The clean-up task has been massive, but teams have been working around the clock. Over 50 per cent of this work has been undertaken by local contractors, and $150 million was announced to support this work.

We on this side of the chamber acknowledge the serious effects of floods. This goes to the heart of the motion. Where homes were lost, we opened temporary accommodation for residents. Our very own Centre for National Resilience in Mickleham was open for emergency accommodation up till mid-March. But the reality is these floods are getting worse and worse by the year, and the cost of cleaning up the damage is rising each time. It is more important than ever that we as a state work together to build long-term strategies to mitigate the effects of floods, which is why I want to talk about the implementation and the effectiveness of the government’s 2016 Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy. We understand that future climate change – the change in our climate – has serious implications for Victoria. The very nature of it will see floods happen more often and hit our communities harder. That is why a long-term strategy for managing these disastrous events is so important. Supporting local residents and businesses building back is essential, but it must go hand in hand with larger efforts to mitigate the effects of persistent flooding brought about by climate change.

The Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy was released in April 2016. It set the direction for flood plain management in Victoria, outlining what this government is prepared to do over the coming years to protect regional Victorians. It was ambitious, no doubt, but we are an ambitious government, and since the last floods our government has done a lot. We have installed over 150 monitoring devices across Victoria; constructed five levees – at Euroa, Wodonga, Quambatook, Robinvale and Warracknabeal; and undertaken other flood works at Charlton and Donald. Our 2020–21 budget also provided $26.7 million over four years to prepare for future floods in critical areas.

Our flood plain management strategy also set forth our commitment to working with the Victorian SES, local governments and local communities in developing regional flood plain management strategies to ensure local priorities are met. Local voices are important, especially in areas as large as northern Victoria. Under our flood plain management strategy, 59 flood studies were conducted for various areas around the state, working hand in hand with those very local communities, and since 2018 the implementation of these regional strategies has commenced, led by the respective communities. Listening to regional communities and the experts who have studied our vast environment throughout their lives is essential to this process. The catchment management authority is expected to deliver its mid-term report soon, five years on. Our government listened to the concerns of the communities across the state, then we acted. We are only half the way through the flood plain management strategy, and we have delivered so much, as I acknowledged earlier. Our government recognises the impact the floods have had on the livelihood of communities. It is why we have taken and will continue to take decisive action preparing Victorian communities against these devastating floods.

The work done by our state and Victorians is unmatched. It is no easy task, and I would like to once again thank the hardworking men and women who have devoted countless hours to studying our regions and helping develop dozens of local plans to ensure devastation of this magnitude never happens again. This hard work of course cannot continue without the continued support of a compassionate government, and I am also proud of the work that our government is doing with the resources of our SES. Our last budget alone provided a record $28.5 million in funding for the VICSES. This means new facilities, new vehicles and new and more comprehensive training, including swift water rescue courses – how important, considering the sheer number of water rescues delivered. The work done by the VICSES is awe inspiring – truly it is – and I am proud to be part of a government which not only cares about but listens and responds to their needs. These new resources will go a long way to helping our state. They will save lives, businesses and entire communities.

I earlier touched on the scale of the operations VICSES conducted throughout October and beyond in northern Victoria; it still amazes me. But what worries me is that events like this will only become more common with climate change. Faced with that, training our next generation to the best of our ability is vital if we hope to fight the effects brought upon us by our changing climate. It is the right thing to do. If we just protect these communities from future flooding, we have to think about the future and how we can prepare ourselves to meet those challenges. Greater investments in VICSES resources and their training program is integral.

We have also invested $110 million in volunteer emergency services equipment program grants for volunteer groups since 2015. This year alone nearly $15 million is available to the various volunteer organisations operating in Victoria, including VICSES and Life Saving Victoria. As these floods get more and more common, it is important that we as a state also continue to fund these vital programs to make sure that extra assistance is available to those who need it when the time comes. The additional support that comes from the VESEP towards our many vital community organisations helps them deliver aid when it is needed as well as helping them acquire any additional resources they may need on the ground when it matters the most. All of these initiatives go a long way towards ensuring that communities, including those across northern Victoria, are prepared for when the next flood, whenever that may be, arrives.

This government, I am proud to say, has an incredible record of adhering to these values. As I said before, listening to the community and then acting goes a long way. When the devastating Black Summer bushfires hit in late 2019, this very chamber had a regional sitting in Bright. Members had an opportunity to visit local schools, businesses and community organisations to hear from those impacted firsthand. It is important we stand united as a state when a crisis hits. Through the devastation, which many of us saw unfold, I was proud to see Victorians from across the state come together to help one another.

When a regional sitting does happen, I encourage all members to make the most of it. It is a massive logistical exercise, so let us take advantage of it. It is what we do; it is what makes us Australian and what makes us Victorians. I acknowledge the pain and suffering residents across northern Victoria felt throughout the crisis, and I again commend the work and the effort of countless volunteers and community and emergency services workers towards helping them throughout the emergency and the ongoing recovery.

Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (10:43): I rise to speak in support of this motion. The floods in northern Victoria have cut a swathe through the community, and I think it would be good if we do turn up there when it is appropriate for the people there – we do not want to be interrupting what they are up to in their recovery efforts – to show them the attention that a Parliament and their representatives should give. My contribution will be relatively brief today. One of the things is that we did visit northern Victoria last time, and I guess it is to my own embarrassment – I should not call it embarrassment, but that it is the best word I can come up with – that I have been too distracted to mention that we perhaps should do a regional sitting in one of the other places, perhaps in eastern Victoria and somewhere nice like Mallacoota, which had the fires go through it relatively recently. There is still a lot of recovery to be done there. They too would like to see the representatives of their Parliament turn up.

I do like the idea of a regional sitting. I do like the idea of us going out there. I know it is a lot of trouble. I remember that there are a lot of things that you probably would not appreciate that the clerks and the staff have to go through, but they got it done and they got it done well last time, so I am sure they will rise to the occasion. But again, we have got to do it so it works for the people of northern Victoria, not for us.

Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (10:45): I am pleased to support this motion put by Wendy Lovell for the President and the clerks to consult with local councils in flood-affected communities to facilitate a parliamentary sitting in central northern Victoria. In the last few years our region has been severely impacted by drought, bushfires, COVID and floods. Communities have experienced significant loss and have rallied together to survive these challenging times. As I meet with people right across the region it is evident that local communities have felt left behind under this government. To host a parliamentary sitting in the region would be a step in the right direction.

Regional sittings have been held before and were part of the usual process when the coalition was in government. There have only been two regional sittings of the Legislative Council in the past 10 years – one in Bendigo on 6 September 2012 and one in Bright on 29 April 2021 for the bushfires. According to the Parliament of Victoria website, the last regional sitting of the Legislative Council was declared an overwhelming success. Members of the public and local students watched the proceedings, and the local CWA branch and the Lions Club provided catering. It would be great to host a parliamentary sitting in our region again.

The Victorian floods last year had a devastating impact across Victoria, particularly in north-central Victoria, where thousands of homes were flooded and livestock and wildlife perished. The floods impacted 63 local government areas across the state, in particular the towns of Rochester, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Echuca, Wangaratta, Seymour, Bendigo, Charlton and Kerang. At an Anzac Day service last week I met David from Echuca, and he is still living in temporary accommodation and remains on the waiting list for public housing.

Six months on, it is important that we do not forget these regional communities impacted by floods. When the floods first occurred people came to assist from across the state. In Rochester shortly after the floods I met people who had driven up from Melbourne to bring food and supplies, but as the months roll on and local communities continue to rebuild, it is important that we continue to support them. People are still battling with insurance companies to get assistance, homes are still to be rebuilt and businesses are doing their best to stay strong.

For those who might be worried that a regional sitting will not be official, in terms of how regional sittings are conducted, they are very much a sitting of the house. So all the same rules about forming a quorum to start the day would apply. The clerks would arrange a proclamation from the Governor to declare the venue and its surrounds part of the parliamentary precinct for the day. Any business conducted by the house would be official, so if we passed a bill, it would be considered passed. A regional sitting would be a great opportunity to invite people of all ages to come and see Parliament in action.

I was recently with a group of young adults visiting Melbourne from central Victoria, and one of them was very surprised to learn that Victoria actually had a Parliament House. It is time that we got out of Melbourne and into the regions and let people know that this Parliament governs for all of Victoria. I trust that members of this chamber will demonstrate their support for regional Victoria following the devastating impact of the floods and vote in support of this motion.

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:49): I also rise to speak on what is a very timely motion. I am happy to contribute on this matter, noting that I am speaking in support of the motion. I thank Ms Lovell for raising this in the house. I am pleased to be taking part in what is a very worthy discussion about having both the Council and the Assembly have a sitting in regional Victoria, specifically, as the motion says, in central northern Victoria. There are clear benefits of holding a session of this house in a regional place. Many areas across our state would be suitable for the Council and Assembly to sit in. There is much benefit to be had by us all from sitting in such places, from the benefits that we as parliamentarians obtain from sitting somewhere we are not used to to the benefits of many of us visiting areas that we normally would not visit otherwise.

I do note that with our parliamentary committees we do undertake various regional tours as well, which is a thing that I have particularly enjoyed so far, as has been mentioned by two colleagues in members statements this morning. I was amongst a delegation that visited Lake Connewarre this time last week for the opening of the duck-hunting season, which was a good opportunity to get out and see more of the state and more of the people that make up our wonderful state. So this is a very, very worthy thing to be supporting.

Specifically as well, acknowledging the considerable impact that the 2022 floods had on these communities in the central north of our state, having a sitting in that region does strike me as very reasonable. I also note that the last regional sitting, as Ms Broad mentioned, was held in Bright, and that was following the fires that occurred in that region in the Black Summer bushfires. Obviously neither I nor Ms Broad were there for that sitting, not having being elected to this place yet, but from those colleagues that were there I understand the event was a terrific success.

Speaking in a more general sense, holding a regional sitting is, as a matter of course, a good practice for us as parliamentarians to be doing. Victoria is still, despite being relatively small by national standards geographically, a very large and diverse place. It is irrefutable that Melbourne is the population and economic centre of our state, and it is also in Melbourne that the majority of us represent our electorates, me included. But we have a vast and diverse state, which it is important that we reach every corner of. So I would suggest that having this house – the members, our electorate officers where appropriate and the clerks of the Parliament – going to regional communities helps us all to gain a better understanding in and out of every aspect of the state in which we live.

In addressing the first part of the motion specifically, I would also like to acknowledge the astounding resilience of our flood-affected communities. It is a testament to the spirit of those communities and their determination to rebuild, to support each other and to work together for a common good. I would also like to add my voice to pay tribute to those communities and to those close to the two people from Rochester and from Nathalia who tragically lost their lives. When I think of the community spirit on display over the past four years, and in particular during those floods of last year, I am reminded of what the American civil rights campaigner Coretta Scott King once said, which was that:

The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate action of its members.

Of course the bravery of the emergency services and other responders to these devastating floods deserves our acclamation as well. The efforts of the SES, CFA, FRV, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Victoria Police, Life Saving Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, community volunteers as well as out-of-state volunteers, all rightfully deserve our gratitude, knowing full well that that is not why they did it.

The flood impact on communities, on businesses and on individuals is far-reaching, considerable and ongoing. Not only is this clear in reports and statistics, but the ongoing impact is visible when visiting affected communities. The Andrews Labor government has delivered considerable support to flood-affected communities across northern Victoria. Members of the government have visited, consulted and worked in association with communities to ensure support is direct, effective and successful. Members on this side of the chamber will always work alongside regional communities, invest in and develop initiatives to support them and, most importantly, listen to them. We know that regional and rural communities face unique challenges and have too often been left out of conversations about growth and investment.

In speaking on our flood support, I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of our Minister for Emergency Services and of our Minister for Water Harriet Shing. The devastating floods affected communities across Victoria. This includes Maribyrnong in Melbourne and communities in the regions, from Shepparton to Seymour and from Rochester to Echuca. Family members of mine that live out in the Echuca region have told me directly of the impacts that they had and that they saw their friends and neighbours deal with, including one family in Rochester who tragically had their house flooded not once but twice. Major flooding occurred on the Goulburn River, the Campaspe River and the Loddon River. There was considerable damage from floodwaters to farms, townships, infrastructure and communities. These floods were undeniably devastating to communities across this region. During the flooding the water sector responded to over 220 incidents of a varied nature, from fish death incidents to sewer spills and water service disruptions.

Emergency accommodation was a key focus as well of the government’s initial flood recovery response. This meant ensuring accommodation was available for people in hotels, in caravan parks and of course at the Centre for National Resilience in Mickleham. Emergency Recovery Victoria, a body that operates in the Department of Justice and Community Safety, oversaw and continues to facilitate a range of support programs, including the clean-up program which managed street debris, sandbag removal and structural assessments for impacted properties. The flood recovery support program was established as well to provide a trauma-informed service to help people to navigate the range of supports available that were provided at the time.

The Andrews Labor government is continuing to work closely with Victorian communities still affected by last year’s flood, working towards ensuring that the swiftest possible recovery can take place. Much work has of course already been done, and the work rightly will have to continue to ensure those communities get the best possible outcome. From the $500 million business recovery package, the $6.3 million small business concessional loan program and the $1.78 million of funding to help tourism and event industries, this government has provided considerable financial support to businesses and communities to support their recovery from the impacts of these 2022 floods. With 5500 small business flood relief grants paid out already, and with the rollout of various support programs, the support by this government has been steadfast and will continue to help to ensure that the best recovery outcomes for our communities can happen. All up, over $1.8 billion in joint state and Commonwealth funding has been announced to date to support directly impacted individuals, businesses and communities. This considerable investment was initially focused on meeting the immediate needs of those affected – the needs of the individuals themselves and the needs of families and communities.

There has also been support for councils and emergency management agencies to ensure essential services continued with the least practical disruption. Various grants make up this funding, including those I have already mentioned. These grants are providing important support for the rebuilding of critical infrastructure and are supporting businesses and of course communities. Amongst other things, they include personal hardship payments; grants for primary producers, medium and large businesses and those providing accommodation; flood support services; funding towards 16 recovery hubs; and the flood recovery program as well as an additional $21.8 million paid out in water bill assistance.

I have already spoken about the initial flood response provided to these communities in my contribution to a motion by Ms Crozier in a previous week, and so whilst I will not reflect on the response to the flood in further great detail, I will note that the scale of the floods in October constituted a significant test of our emergency services. Again, it is worth acknowledging the dedication, selflessness, skill and compassion of our emergency service personnel and volunteers as well as community members and government agency workers, who all came together and all worked together with these 2022 floods.

So returning to the crux of the motion, I would like to further comment that, as I have already said, this is a terrific opportunity for us to get out to the regions. It is also a terrific opportunity for us to show the very best of this place too. I would urge all members when out in the communities – wherever that might be; on a committee or in a sitting – to act with the absolute highest standards of decorum, of civility and of professionalism so we show that this Parliament is a respectful place. I would urge all members to keep in mind that this is not a trip for our own personal benefit or gratification to go off on a wild spree; this is a chance for us to show the very best of what this place is. In supporting this motion, I ask all members to bear that in front of mind when we do hopefully visit northern Victoria soon.

Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (10:59): I am standing today to support Ms Lovell’s motion for a regional sitting. First I would like to touch base on how it boosts our regional economy – regional Victoria knows how to make our dollar go far. The local economy will benefit greatly from a regional sitting – our hospitality industries, our petrol stations and even the local pharmacy, should we hit the town hard on our sitting night. It is also good to provide a regional sitting to those who have difficulty accessing Parliament here in Melbourne. It is a big job for schools to organise a trip to Melbourne, as it is for those with disabilities and the elderly who find it hard to travel.

I would like to quickly finish up by saying it will be beneficial for our local residents to have access to the MPs here. As Ms Lovell and others in the house have said, we in regional Victoria do not have access to all the parties here. We are not represented by all of them, so our residents will benefit from having access to, say, the Greens and the Legalise Cannabis parties. Once again, I would like to put my support behind Ms Lovell’s motion.

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (11:00): I am very pleased to be able to speak to my friend Ms Lovell’s motion. I think it is a very good motion, and I would like to thank Ms Lovell for the work she has done in bringing this motion to the Council for debate and the work she does for the constituents in northern Victoria.

I speak on this motion as a member for Northern Metro and from a somewhat privileged position because every sitting week is in my electorate. I am very grateful for that as someone who lives in the Northern Metropolitan Region, but I think everyone should get to experience what my constituents get to experience here in Northern Metropolitan Region in enjoying and interacting with Parliament and interacting with members of Parliament, getting to see members of Parliament from other constituencies as well. I get around quite a bit in the Northern Metropolitan Region and my constituents see me around a lot, which is a good thing. But as you said, Wendy, Northern Victoria Region is a wonderful part of our state, and as a member for Northern Metropolitan Region, which shares a border, I find myself crossing over to shared areas, including Mitchell shire.

Wallan in the far north of my electorate is a great part of our state. I have had the pleasure of visiting locals in places like the Wallan market and meeting with businesses, meeting with different groups like the Wallan Environment Group – I would like to acknowledge the chair of that group Claudia James – and visiting the Wallan Neighbourhood House. That might be a location for a joint sitting, somewhere like that. I would like to acknowledge my friend Pauline Cornish, who of course runs the neighbourhood house there. But I have also visited northern Victoria a number of times, particularly as a member of Parliament. I greatly enjoyed a recent visit to Broadford with my wonderful colleague the very popular member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland where we were able to welcome new citizens at a citizenship ceremony in Broadford with Mitchell Shire Council. It was great to be able to welcome new citizens from both of our constituencies, particularly the growth areas of my constituency, to Australia and to congratulate them on what a great achievement that is.

I enjoy travelling with committees as well. I too was at Lake Connewarre for the opening of the duck-shooting season. It was quite an educational trip for me as I did not know the first thing about duck hunting until this committee. It has been quite enjoyable for me to get out into the regions and interact with people like the field and game groups and the people that make it all work and to see some of the great vegetation and conservation work they do.

As I said, I think the Council making a trip to northern Victoria is a great idea. We all need to get a better perspective on the challenges in our state by going out and hearing directly from communities, and as Ms Lovell said, particularly from flood-affected communities that have done it really tough. I think the government could use this perspective to get out beyond the tram tracks, if I can borrow a phrase from a learned colleague. Why I say that is I look at examples in the far north of my own electorate, like the Wallan diamond ramps to the Hume and I see that Labor has promised this project at about four elections, both federal and state. I saw in the Herald Sun yesterday they are on a federal government hit list of projects that are in the planning phase and could have funding removed. I know my constituents in Wallan have been begging for this project for ages, so has the federal member for McEwen. He has a tagline that he is ‘here for us’, but he has all of a sudden gone silent on the Wallan diamond ramps and whether they will be funded.

Harriet Shing: Is this relevant?

Evan MULHOLLAND: It is relevant, and I say it is relevant because I think the whole Parliament going to that part of the world could enlighten members. I would love for all of Parliament to go to Donnybrook station, for example, and watch trains be cancelled.

In conclusion, I say that this is a terrific motion. I am very pleased that it has support from both sides of the house. I am very much looking forward to it and looking forward to sharing that opportunity with my colleagues.

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (11:05): I rise today in a couple of capacities to speak on this motion from Ms Lovell, one as a member of Eastern Victoria Region, which covers the area from Mooroolbark out to Mallacoota and which has sustained significant damage as a consequence of natural disasters and emergencies for as long as records indicate. Whether it has been from droughts, bushfires, floods or indeed earthquakes, it has been an area riven with challenge, and those challenges continue. I am also in the position of great honour and responsibility as the Minister for Regional Development to be able to lean into the work that is happening across rural and regional Victoria and to invest in, support and provide visibility to rural and regional communities, including as the work continues to deliver the momentum that furthers the lowest unemployment rates that we have on record, the lowest payroll tax rates in Australia, the greatest level of investment in infrastructure programs and services, and indeed the sorts of investments that are necessary as our population grows and changes.

The other capacity in which I want to speak to this motion today is as the Minister for Water, and that is apposite given the context of the motion, relating as it does to the floods and to the impact of the floods in north and north-eastern Victoria. In October last year we saw events of a magnitude not contemplated in any record around various parts of the state. We saw communities devastated by the impact of the floods, and the devastation continued for a really significant period of time. We saw rivers break their banks with enormous force. We saw levees give way. We saw towns inundated. We saw homes with over-floor damage and flooding. We saw communities come together in a range of different ways to work throughout the day and throughout the night in rescue, relief and recovery.

On the ground, despite the other work of election campaigns and processes of democracy, that work around relief and recovery continued. It was of profound importance that government be visible and be on the ground, not in a performative sense, not with a flotilla of cameras in tow, but to talk about the impact of flooding on communities; to work out where the temporary accommodation was going; to partner with local government; to work alongside community organisations, neighbourhood houses and the frontline emergency responders – SES, CFA – on the work associated with our schools; and to go in and do the very things that involve preservation of opportunity for the students, the teachers and the staff as they returned. This was about rescuing books and drying them out page by page. This was about making sure that people had the food that they needed and could get rid of rubbish as they cleared it from their houses – once treasured items that were lost and that now needed to be collected.

We responded to the needs and the challenges as they arose, in a way that reflected ongoing improvement from the 2011 floods, that reflected a continuous improvement and a commitment from those impacted by the floods in New South Wales and that indicated a sense of interoperability and cooperation the likes of which had not been seen but will continue to be the basis for ongoing improvement into the future.

Turning now to the motion, it is incumbent upon us as a Parliament to ensure that any attendance at a sitting of Parliament in regional Victoria occur with the respect and the integrity that communities deserve. This should not be an exercise in grandstanding, in inappropriate behaviour or in creating distress to workers in and around regions because people cannot act appropriately. It should not be about having a lend because you are away from home and think that therefore you can get away with being a social encumbrance. It should not be a get-out-of-jail-free card to act like a slob. It should not be anything that leaves a sour taste in the mouths of communities who open up their facilities, who volunteer their time and who make themselves available to show the Parliament in the best light that we would have it shown in.

It should be about making sure that there is accessibility and that there is not drunken and appalling behaviour that occurs out of hours. It should not be something which interferes with or detracts from the important work of the Parliament as it relates to the joint inquiries of committees, as it relates to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee and the Electoral Matters Committee. It should not be something which comes at the expense of the very inquiry into the floods and the purpose by which this motion is established, which is in the process of being constituted and moving its way around Victoria. It should not be at the expense of the 10 inquiries that are currently on the notice paper which are geared toward addressing – or purport to be geared toward addressing – a range of issues, including as they relate to and impact upon regional Victoria.

So let us not lose sight of the best intentions that should underpin this motion. Let us not lose sight of the fact that parliamentary committees require assistance from the same parliamentary staff who will be required to do hundreds of hours in order to set up a one-day sitting of the houses of Parliament. Let us make sure that a regional sitting of the Parliament is not performative, is not superficial, is not cosmetic and is not simply a reason to head out to rural and regional Victoria and treat it like rubbish. Victorians deserve better than that.

We know and we have seen the best of rural and regional Victoria in resilience in the face of some of the most devastating circumstances you can imagine. Let us never forget that after Black Summer, when 1.8 million hectares were destroyed, that parts of the community in Bright deserved better than they got with the last sitting of Parliament that occurred there. Let us not forget, when we are attending communities to provide that direct access to Parliament and to the work that happens here – to make law, to interrogate law, to provide opportunities to contribute – that we are doing it, and we must do it, with the gravitas that this responsibility requires. Let us not allow slovenly and disgraceful behaviour to taint the work of this Parliament. Let us not make the pages of the newspapers again because people cannot act appropriately. Let us not have individuals become the centre of a story when this should be about the collective and this should be about an institution which is beyond one single person.

In supporting this motion, let us make sure that the substantive work of the Parliament, the granular detail and the business-as-usual of this chamber of the Parliament as a whole continues. And to that end I thank the people who work so tirelessly to make sure that this Parliament is equipped with the resources that it needs in order for this work to continue. Parliament is an institution. It involves and requires so many hands on deck. This is about Hansard operators. It is about attendants. It is about security. It is about technology. It is about the clerks. It is about the staffing and it is about the logistical exercises that underpin something of this magnitude. So let us be clear that in heading to regional Victoria for a sitting like this we never lose sight of the objectives that are there: to provide support, to be visible, to show up and indeed to demonstrate the respect that rural and regional Victoria deserves.

I have had dozens of visits to rural and regional Victoria since the term of government began, since I was sworn in. There is an enormous amount of work occurring to make and keep the recovery efforts on track. This is a long process. It is a process akin to recovery from bushfires. It is a process which deserves the longevity and the stamina required of people to recover now and into the long term. It is about more than infrastructure and more than individual connection, it is about rebuilding a part of the state that was devastated. I would hope that in sitting regionally the members of the Parliament who attended last time will do better.

Jacinta ERMACORA (Western Victoria) (11:16): I speak here on this motion and note that the government will be supporting this motion, and I also wish to thank Ms Lovell for the motion. Like my colleagues I would like to start by first acknowledging that the recent October floods last year and any floods – for individuals, businesses and communities – are enormous in the way that they impact communities and are also quite far-reaching. We know that since the devastation of these floods there have been many industries and people that are doing it very, very tough.

I want to start by paying tribute to the loved ones and communities of the two people who tragically lost their lives, from Rochester and Nathalia. I want to acknowledge the bravery of those who responded to the devastating floods, particularly our emergency services, including the SES, CFA, FRV, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Victoria Police, Life Saving Victoria and Ambulance Victoria, as well as the many people who came from other states to lend a hand and the community members sandbagging and preparing.

In proposing a regional visit I would like to declare that I was born and bred and have lived in the outer regional community of Warrnambool every day of my life other than when I studied in Melbourne and started my career, and I can confirm that that is a unique experience. We are a diverse community, and the experiences of outer regional communities have a uniqueness that is quite different to those of inner regional communities and also metropolitan communities. So it is definitely worthwhile listening to those experiences. In fact when we look at the Australian Institute of Company Directors, they have a list of 10 good governance principles, and principle 9 says the board, which in this case would be the Parliament:

… should ensure that the organisation communicates with members and other stakeholders … so that they have sufficient information to make appropriately informed decisions regarding the organisation.

The AICD also goes on to articulate in further detail just how important site visits are – and I think everybody here that has spoken today on this motion has endorsed the concept of site visits. We definitely learn about a single particular issue from multiple perspectives in doing those site visits. So it is a matter of good governance to be out amongst the communities that we are serving.

There is certainly significant value in visiting communities and listening to their experiences and needs and opportunities, and this government is very proud of its record of engaging with communities, whether it is asking nurses what they think will help promote more people to take up that profession through to my own visits in Western Victoria to Casterton, Portland, Port Fairy, Stawell, Warrnambool and other places. In Casterton I was involved in the opening celebration of a redevelopment of their fire station, and it was a great honour to hear from that community about the issues that they faced in developing their fire station. Every fire station is different and every firefighting situation is different, and hence it is wonderful to listen to those stories. Visiting multiple organisations in each of these communities provides a multilens understanding of an issue, so visiting flood-affected areas in northern Victoria will provide diverse perspectives on how the floods have been experienced differently.

In relation to the motion before the house, it is important to point out that ministers and members of this government do not need to go and visit regional communities as part of the Parliament but rather they do that as part of their ordinary roles in their portfolios and as MPs. Certainly in northern Victoria that occurs on a regular basis. A regional sitting does present an opportunity for members of this house from non-flood-affected regions to hear directly from those Victorians impacted by floods, but our government has already been putting in place that work. We on this side have been visiting, returning home to and working alongside regional Victorians, and not just talking to people but listening to them and, where we can, investing in programs and initiatives to support them.

A thriving Victoria means thriving regional and rural towns. The Andrews Labor government knows how important it is as a government to support and invest in these communities to ensure their continued growth and prosperity for generations to come. A great example of this is that south-western Victoria, which is a part of the western region that I represent, in 2021–22 was the highest value region for food and fibre production in the country. If you count the population of that region, you may see less significance than the population of Melbourne, but if you count the value of the product that comes out of that region, there is a significant national level contribution, and the stories and the lives and the experiences of those communities have a legitimate contribution to make.

I would like to express some concern about inflicting the sometimes exciting tedium of the Parliament on a community. Not all of us are enlightening when we are speaking all of the time – some of the time perhaps. I am trying to be very honest here: I do not think there has always been extreme value in everything that I have said in this place. In that regard it may not be something that local communities can relate to, but I can see the value in adding extra activities during the non-parliamentary sitting time, to visit communities and engage with them.

The October floods were devastating for so many communities across Victoria, particularly in northern Victoria. The flood events most heavily impacted the regional townships and cities of Shepparton, Seymour, Rochester and Echuca and additionally impacted the suburb of Maribyrnong in Melbourne. The Goulburn River, the Campaspe River and the Loddon River all experienced major flooding, with floodwaters causing significant damage to farms, towns, cities, roads, water supply infrastructure and communities. This included the town of Skipton in south-west Victoria. The Skipton community were significantly impacted by the October floods. The town’s shopping precinct was flooded, with 17 houses impacted and commercial and community buildings inundated. The rail trail is an important asset for the Skipton community and, as such, the Skipton community flood recovery committee has identified that the repair of the rail trail is a priority project to support the community’s flood recovery. The Corangamite shire manages the section of the Skipton to Ballarat rail trail that extends from Skipton North to the municipal boundary. The recovery plan identifies that the repair of the rail trail will help bring back visitors to the town, which will support local businesses who have been directly impacted by the floods, and it is very pleasing to see our government supporting that project.

These supports were many and varied, but first and foremost the most pressing area was providing emergency and temporary accommodation in hotels, caravan parks and even the Centre for National Resilience in Mickleham. Emergency Recovery Victoria, a body which operates in the Department of Justice and Community Safety, oversaw and continues to facilitate a range of support programs such as the clean-up program, which managed street debris – (Time expired)

Lee TARLAMIS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (11:26): I move:

That debate on this motion be adjourned until later this day.

Motion agreed to and debate adjourned until later this day.