Thursday, 22 June 2023

Bills

Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023

Second reading

Debate resumed on motion of Ingrid Stitt:

That the bill be now read a second time.

Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:40): It is great to rise to make a brief contribution on the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. On this side of the house we have a strong view that it is very important to fund Parliament. We would like to sit next year, so we support the bill. Obviously the bill provides funding to a whole series of important integrity agencies, the work of which is vital for our state. We are on the record on this side of the house arguing for more funding for these agencies, but nonetheless to have some is better than none. Hence we support the bill, and I commend it to the house.

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (14:41): On behalf of the government I would like to speak briefly on the bill as well. It is an important bill. Mr Berger, are you going to speak on the bill too? I have got to leave some for Mr Berger. This is one of the favourite bills of the year, right? It means that we can come here. It supports the fantastic people that support us. It extends to our fantastic electorate office staff as well. What I like most about this bill is that it is an opportunity to thank everyone within the Parliament, from the attendants to the clerks to Hansard to the audio people – I am trying to endear myself to the people in the room – to the catering staff and the security staff as well. They do a fantastic job. It is always a great opportunity to be in a position to acknowledge that work and thank them. It is great that we have a bill that ensures that they get remunerated for that important work that they do.

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:42): Today I rise to speak to the 2023–24 budget handed down by the Treasurer Tim Pallas in the other place, and specifically I rise to speak about the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. This bill provides the appropriation authority for payments from the Consolidated Fund to the Parliament for the 2023–24 financial year. The amounts contained in schedule 1 of the bill provide for the ongoing operations of this place and the other place ‍– this Parliament. It provides funding for new initiatives, from the output to new asset investment. In addition to the usual annual appropriations contained in this bill, funds are also made available to the Parliament by way of special appropriation.

I am a new member of the Parliament, but in my past life I was the branch secretary of the Transport Workers Union Victoria–Tasmania branch, and in that past life I had a very large staff. I had an assistant secretary, a chief of staff and the privilege of having a talented, diverse and hardworking branch committee of management. I had a team of elected senior organisers and a dozen organisers as well. I also had an office manager, a finance manager, a membership officer, a communications adviser and a receptionist. I even had two staff lawyers. I had a national branch structure that provided us ongoing legal, communications, campaign and strategic advice. It is safe to say I had a great crew of advisers and a team to support me. I led a team of 40. It is safe to say that this new job of mine is a big change, and in this place I have 2½ full-time equivalent staff. That is why the invaluable work of the parliamentary services is so remarkable.

I would like today to draw attention to a few incredible hardworking members in this place and the whole parliamentary structure. Firstly, how could I go past the Deputy Clerk Anne Sargent, an invaluable resource to me on the rules and all things procedural in this place, or my amazing human resources partner Grace. Grace knows who she is and the great work she has done for my team, and I appreciate her help assembling my team and her professionalism and prompt service. Then there are the Hansard reporters, who ensure that everything in this place, even the bad, is recorded forever. The security personnel keep us safe. The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) ensures that everything cost-wise is good and proper. Then there are the committee staff who run the committee that I am on, the Economy and Infrastructure Committee. And of course who could forget the famous, well-regarded and dearly missed Barry Cull, who left this building three weeks ago after decades of service for the Parliament. As I walk into this place, the hardworking cleaners make sure my office is clean. They seem to work 24/7, as they seem to be walking through the annexe at all times of the day: 5 am, 11 am, 11 at night and even the night shift, 8 or 9 pm. Of course there are the tour guides, who stand guard in the foyer each and every day to ensure that the tours are on time. I am particularly grateful for these staff, who I have had the benefit of getting to know over the past few months as they take schools from my community of Southern Metro on tours and run mock parliaments and are always kind enough to let me know when these things are happening so I can speak to the next generation. Then there are member services, like the lunch and learn.

This bill appropriates $277,752,000 for the 2023–24 financial year. That is an increase of 3.4 per cent on the 2022–23 financial year amount of $268,739,000. This budget provides funding for the PBO’s uplift in resourcing requirements in the lead-up to the next election, well in advance of the 2026 election, and I am confident that our prudent and wise budget will ensure that the Andrews Labor government wins another resounding Danslide.

Consistent with previous years and consistent with prudent and wise budgetary measures, the Andrews Labor government will always implement and find savings. Consistent with previous years Parliament has received an exemption from the general efficiency dividend, as the savings imposed are modest when viewed in relation to the state’s final budget. The lapsing historical restoration of Parliament House – these renovations that we see every day, which were provided for in the 2020–21 budget – is also reflected in this budget.

This bill is a source of funding not only for the important work that takes place in this chamber but for the work that takes place in this building, and it is important to note that other funds are appropriated for the Parliament’s purposes by way of special appropriations in other pieces of legislation. However, this bill funds the work of the Legislative Council, the Legislative Assembly, parliamentary investigative committees and the Department of Parliamentary Services, the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Victorian Inspectorate. It also funds the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman.

I am pleased and glad that I can speak on this bill, because it gives me the opportunity to talk to this house and my community about the important work that is done in this building. Sometimes – often, I might add – members of the Parliament get a bad rap, but there is a lot of misinformation about the work that goes on in this place, so let me clear some of it up. I see time and time again on my Facebook and Instagram feeds, on the internet, in the newspapers and on the news the hard work being done, and it can only be done with the support that these appropriation bills provide.

Let us start with security. A few months ago I had a security incident at my office. A person off the street came into my office and refused to leave. He was threatening and threatening to go to Parliament. What was worse was that it was the first week for my newest staff member, and what a welcome that was. It was only thanks to the quick work of the security team that we got him to leave. They are on call 24/7, keeping us safe, and I am grateful for it.

How about IT? One cannot go past Chris and the work that he does for his team every day. My electorate officer tells me a funny story about Chris, which I am sure this whole chamber would appreciate, especially those who know him. My electorate officer was transferring over from Minister Carbines’s office to help me set up the office. In that process, he needed to transfer his email over to my system and he got locked out of his email. It was 8 pm on 26 December, or Boxing Day, and my EO texted Chris. Within 10 minutes the issue was resolved, on Boxing Day no less.

You can see the dedication, passion and hard work of the people that work in this building to ensure that we can do our jobs and that our offices can function each and every day. In Parliamentary Services there is a human resources team, which I have already mentioned. There is the catering team, the Sessions and Strangers staff and the financial management team. The workers behind the scenes are essential to democracy. This bill also helps pay for our staff members. It helps oversee the recruitment, hiring, onboarding and ongoing professional development of parliamentary officers and electorate officers. For this I am extremely grateful.

Parliament is constantly updating. This means a new online, mobile and flexible data-driven Parliament operated through SharePoint, Billy and of course Oracle – just like out of The Matrix – all strange and mysterious beings to a technically challenged member like me. Of course there is the high-quality information that we send through our Microsoft Outlook emails every day. I am still getting used to my Microsoft calendar and the different views between weekly, daily and monthly; all the meeting requests and calendar invites; and of course the dreaded Microsoft Teams meeting with a minister.

This is all part and parcel of this place, from the parliamentary library and the insights, research and information products they provide, to Hansard, which I turn my attention to. Hansard never seem to stop working. I get emails from them from time to time asking for some transcript, to ensure that everything I say is accurately recorded for history. It is remarkable. And then there are the pink and blue sheets diligently prepared by the tabling office. It is how I plan my day, and it is a vital resource for all members. Every week I also visit offices to grab one of the many reports tabled in this place and the other place, and I make sure that I am up to date with the latest goings-on in this state. This appropriation bill funds nothing less than a proper functioning of this place. There is a video-on-demand team – I am not even sure which department they are from – but when my team and I request a video, even late at night, they send us what we need. These workers protect the integrity and the operation of Parliament.

Going back to the specifics of the bill, the bill provides that the Treasury may issue the stated amount from the Consolidated Fund in respect to the financial year 2023–24 for the purposes set out in schedule 1. Subclauses (2) and (3) of clause 3 provide authority for additional appropriation if necessary for increases in salaries and related costs that may be the result of any legislation or determination during the year. Clause 4 provides for the Consolidated Fund to be appropriated to the extent necessary for the purposes included in clause 3. Clause 5 provides for the amounts specified for an item in schedule 1 that are to be applied subject to section 31 of the Financial Management Act 1994 on the basis that the amounts specified for that item are not exceeded. The clause also states that if depreciation is included in the provision of outputs of a department in schedule 1 of the bill, these additions to the net asset base of the department may be increased subject to the Treasurer’s approval by an amount up to the depreciation amount. Clause 6 provides for the application of amounts in 2023–‍24 for the arrangements, expenses and obligations that arise in 2023–24 but do not require payment until a future year. I also note that in accordance with section 28 of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023 is compatible. I also note that for those in this place, members of Parliament, their salaries are not funded by the Parliament appropriation bill.

To sum up my contribution today, Parliament is essential to Victorians. It is the place of democracy. It is the essential branch of government. In fact Mr Ettershank said yesterday it is one of the three pillars in our system of the separation of powers. The Westminster tradition that Mr Ettershank reminded us of goes back for centuries. It is the honour of my life to serve in this esteemed place.

I want to end the day by quoting a few of my colleagues in this place. I also note my colleague opposite Ms Crozier asked how productivity, investment and confidence in this state increase under the Andrews Labor government. This is so obvious, but I will answer it anyway. Take one very basic example, level crossing removals – a very Andrews Labor government project: this will improve efficiency by making it easier, safer and quicker for workers and the public to get to work and to go about their daily activities. So yes, this is how productivity has increased and will continue to increase under the Andrews Labor government. That is why I have decided to end today by quoting a member for Western Metropolitan – that is, the words of Mr Ettershank:

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the most difficult financial management circumstances that a government could face. Thousands upon thousands of Victorians lost their livelihoods and lost their health. During this time, more than ever, Victorians needed the support of their government. There was no road map. There was no rule book for the pandemic or for the potential economic meltdown that it could have so easily induced. The government had to envisage the support that the Victorian people needed at the time and act swiftly, with the worthy intention of saving lives and warding off economic disaster. The Victorian government was not alone in pursuing this course of action. Who can forget Josh Frydenberg, suddenly an unexpected born-again Keynesian, quoting John Howard, saying that a massive government support program was too important for politics.

I look forward to the day when coalition members support the Andrews Labor government budget.

Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (14:55): I rise to speak very briefly to the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the hardworking staff that make our Parliament work. To the clerks and all your staff, the Hansard team, the committee staff, the ushers, the catering staff, the gardeners, the security staff, the cleaning staff and everyone who contributes to making this place tick – and apologies if I have missed anyone – you all make such a valuable contribution and you make coming to this workplace and building a pleasure.

I also want to extend my thanks to the staff at the Parliamentary Budget Office. You provide an invaluable service to MPs and the Victorian community. My Greens colleagues and I are very grateful for the service you provide and the way you engage with us.

Similarly, it is incumbent on us to acknowledge the integrity agencies that are vital to the functioning of our democracy. IBAC, the Ombudsman and the Auditor-General play a crucial role in holding the government to account and ensuring public confidence in our democratic system. Thank you, all.

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:56): I also rise today to speak on the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. This important piece of legislation which we are considering today signifies our shared commitment to responsible fiscal management and to ensuring the proper functioning of our democratic institutions. The appropriation bill 2023 has a distinct purpose to make provision for the apportionment of specific sums out of the Consolidated Fund for the Parliament for the upcoming financial year, 2023–24. This is not just about managing numbers on a balance sheet, it is about maintaining the vitality of our democratic systems, the institutions that provide –

Jaclyn Symes: The Parliament bill.

Michael GALEA: Forgive me – Parliament, yes? Is that right?

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: We passed the appropriation bill. We are on the appropriation for Parliament.

Michael GALEA: Forgive me; I left out the parentheses. I did mean to say the Parliament appropriation bill – the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill. This is not just about managing those numbers on the balance sheet, it is about maintaining the vitality of our democratic systems and the institutions that provide stability and ensure accountability in our state’s government. The Attorney-General had me very worried for a minute there that I was speaking on the wrong bill, but that was entirely my fault.

The core of this bill lies in the provision of appropriation authority for payments from the Consolidated Fund to the Parliament for the next financial year. This funding allocation is an essential part of maintaining and enhancing the operation of our democratic institutions. By authorising these payments, we enable these agencies to carry out their necessary functions – services that benefit all Victorians. It is an embodiment of our shared commitment to upholding the principles of democracy, accountability and transparency.

This bill has a critical impact on several key entities within our parliamentary framework. It funds Parliament’s core operations, ensuring the smooth running of the legislative arm of our government. Furthermore, it provides for the Parliamentary Budget Office, a body vital for our economic planning and strategy. The Victorian Inspectorate and the Auditor-General, entities at the forefront of ensuring transparency and fighting corruption, are also beneficiaries of this bill, as is the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, whose work is fundamental in maintaining the integrity of our public institutions. I will note as well that this bill also supports the Victorian Ombudsman.

Parliament’s core operations are indeed complex machinery, with multiple departments performing varied yet interdependent functions. From legislative processes to constituent services, these operations require a solid financial foundation to ensure their continued and efficient functioning. This bill provides the necessary means to maintain these critical operations. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the appropriation bill for Parliament is not solely about the funding of our current operations; it is also about catering to ongoing liabilities such as employee entitlements. Of course, as two previous speakers have outlined, the people that work in this Parliament are our most valuable resource. The clerks, Hansard, broadcasting, catering, cleaning, security and I could go on – all of these individuals work and dedicate their working lives to making this a thriving place of democracy, and I do want to give a particular shout-out to them as well. This bill ensures that their entitlements will be secure. It also ensures that we have set aside funds to cater for these entitlements that may be realised in the future as well. By making appropriations through this bill, we demonstrate our commitment to the people who make our Parliament function efficiently. We recognise their service and ensure that their rights and entitlements are protected.

Let us take a glance at some of the noteworthy achievements of the Andrews government that underscore their effective budget management and dedicated delivery for Victoria. In the Berwick electorate, thanks to the government’s foresight and strategic planning, we will see the opening of two new primary schools, Clyde North primary school and Thompsons West primary school, and a new secondary college, Clyde North secondary school, as well, in 2025. Furthermore, construction is well underway at Alexander Boulevard primary school, which will open next year.

Looking beyond the education sector, the Andrews government has also demonstrated a firm commitment to health care, with plans in place to establish a new women’s health clinic at Casey Hospital. This initiative will provide care and support for various women’s health issues, affirming the government’s commitment to health care for Victorians.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! I think you are speaking on the wrong bill. You are talking about health initiatives and stuff. That is the Appropriation (2023–2024) Bill 2023. This is the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023, to do with the running of the Parliament. I just draw you back to the bill that you are actually speaking on.

Michael GALEA: Thank you, Deputy President. Facilitated by the Parliament, yes. It was just a brief detour to outline some of the other things that our Parliament allows us to do. But I will return to the substance and say that the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023 is a critical and crucial instrument. It is going to provide the necessary authority for payments from the Consolidated Fund to our Parliament. It supports the indispensable work of our governance institutions, ensuring the accountability and transparency that Victorians rightly expect.

I commend this bill to the house. Let us work together across party lines to ensure that our Parliament and its departments and their staff have the necessary resources to continue serving our great state and its people effectively and efficiently.

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (15:02): I rise today to speak about the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023, at the outset acknowledging the tireless contributions made by the many people who are at the heart of this institution when it comes to the delivery of services, whether relating to our security or relating to our capacity to contribute, from the work of people in the attendants spaces and the work of the clerks to the people who provide secretariat services for the many committees and the work that they undertake. This bill is an opportunity, as much as anything, to share with the house the unanimous support for the contributions that are made.

Ours is a chamber that often sits later than those people across the way might appreciate. Some might say that that is because the wheels of democracy turn comparatively slowly here, whereas I would say that it is a rather more accurate characterisation to say that we in fact work harder. Nothing bears this out more than the dedication and the commitment that we see from staff of the Parliament. From Hansard, those people who are responsible for the Oxford commas that I love and admire and respect but which are reviled by too many others – Dr Bach, I note your affection for the Oxford comma as well – right through to the people who make sure that we are able to come to work and to do our jobs, your jobs are fundamentally important to the way in which this institution, this Parliament, is upheld. Every year when we talk about a budgetary allocation we are in a position to note that resourcing this framework is of crucial importance, and we are in a position to note that the work of the Parliament endures beyond any one of us, endures beyond the narrative of any particular government of the day, and that as a consequence of that it deserves the respect that a budgetary process and allocation such as this affords it.

There are a range of other line items that are funded through the parliamentary appropriation bill, and indeed it is this particular omnibus approach to resourcing which enables us to see a range of measures delivered through the budget which go beyond the Parliament as well. Making sure we have funding for integrity bodies, for the way in which the Parliament is resourced for everything from catering through to security through to the people who clean our offices is absolutely germane to the smooth functioning of everything that the Victorian community can and indeed should expect.

There are many people who work behind the scenes to make these things happen, and it is very easy for us to stand up and to talk about the various things that come across our desks and that we seek to ventilate on behalf of our communities and constituents. What people should never underestimate, however, is the volume of work that sits underneath this. To that end we are better for the contributions made by those who you do not see, who are not standing with a microphone talking about the things that we hear here on a daily basis whenever there is a sitting week. We are better for the care and the diligence, the attention to detail, the thoroughness and the relationships which are formed and which are sustained over the duration of a Parliament. I have seen over the years countless examples of expertise, of kindness, of wisdom and of generosity provided not just to members who have been here for a very long time, not just in the farewelling of people after lengthy careers in public office, but to new members.

Thinking about my experience, being elected in 2014, I relied really heavily on the advice, the judgement, the expertise, the guidance and the care of people here in this Parliament, from learning where and how the best ways are to get to the chamber and my reliance on the attendants to guide me through a fundamental lack of a sense of direction right through to the clerks and the way in which they have assisted with procedural matters. The clerks themselves would bemoan the fact that I have sat comparatively close to them over the course of the nine years that I have been in this Parliament. This has afforded me a wonderful opportunity to ask them incessant questions about the nature, history and context of procedural matters and determinations, from Erskine May right through to Rulings from the Chair. When it comes to the application of standing orders, when it comes to the lengthy engagements that we often have in a procedural sense, it is the machinations and the expertise of our clerks and of the staff who assist them that really do bring a measure of gravitas and a measure of consistency to this place. When we get to our feet it is with the wisdom and the benefit of the expertise and professionalism of the staff that we are able to do so.

I also want to acknowledge a particular person here in my contribution today. Barry Cull was an exceptional contributor to the work of this Parliament, and for many years Barry was a constant, a feature in the library, just behind the enormous marble statue of the lion, and Barry was able to provide immediate advice, often with the benefit of a bowl of lollies beside him, that helped members to understand the nature of the rules, the regulations, the systems and the decisions that surround us in the work that we do. Barry is the human face of the way in which this Parliament operates.

Another human face that I do want to acknowledge is Nick Paraskavas, who was an attendant here at this Parliament for many years. Nick was one of the most genuine, good-humoured and smart people that I think this Parliament has ever known, and Nick in his burgundy jacket was a constant feature outside this chamber. We farewelled Nick a number of years ago. His funeral was characterised by his love of Star Trek, and he was farewelled with the soundtrack in the background. It was a sign of the magnitude of his contribution to this place that his memorial service was attended by dozens of members of Parliament and dozens of people from this institution. That speaks to the very nature of the connection that we forge here as MPs and that staff in this place forge in turn with us. We are exceptionally lucky to work alongside people like Nick, those people who make and keep us safe and those people who are in a position to solve our most complex cases or, in the case of people who are technologically illiterate, simple questions no matter what time of day or night it might be.

To everyone who has over the years assisted me with repeated resettings of my password when I have forgotten, thank you. To everybody who has made sure that my belongings are not inadvertently thrown out because I have left them in the wrong place in my office, thank you. To everybody who has helped to activate my security pass, or an alternative, when I have left it in my office or locked myself out, thank you. To everybody who brings a measure of humour, of kindness, of wisdom and of expertise, thank you.

I look forward to the speedy passage of this bill, but I also know that there will be others who will want to speak about the importance of this place to the landscape of political and governmental decision-making. Here in the Council, perhaps more than across the way in the Assembly, we have opportunities to get to know each other. We are at close proximity to each other. We do not sit in a chamber which might otherwise compare to the inside of an A380. We are proximate, and to that end we have the benefit and the opportunity to get to know each other and to share the circumstance, the magnitude and the gravitas of this place in ways which I suspect those in the Assembly might never understand.

So in commending the parliamentary appropriation bill I commend everybody who is involved in the work that goes on and will go on as a consequence of this bill. I also want to again perhaps underscore the importance of what happens here by referring to a couple of the attendants by name. Greg Mills, Chris, Jim, Philip and others, thank you for all that you do. Thank you for the very warm, accessible, inclusive and supportive workplace environment in which we find ourselves. I warmly commend, and commend with thanks to all staff in this precinct, this bill.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (15:12): I am pleased to rise and make a contribution to the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023, and I am going to begin by being bipartisan about this and make some comments agreeing with Ms Shing on the work of the staff of the Parliament and the contribution that so many of them make. Barry Cull was singled out for his long contribution, but that is typical of so many who put a lot of effort in and support all of us, whatever side of the house we are on, in a very constructive way, so I want to first place that on record.

This bill contains the funding for the Parliament and the Department of Parliamentary Services, the Assembly and the Council as breakouts. But it is very interesting to look at schedule 1 on page 4 of the bill. That provides you with a good understanding of what is actually happening with the funding, and it is clear from that that the Legislative Council funding has fallen. That, I might add, does concern me quite significantly. It is an indication that the government is seeking to keep some pressure on the Council, which is the chamber that has the most capacity to make the government feel uncomfortable or discomfited in some way through questioning, through investigatory work and so forth. In that sense I have got to say I am very much aware of the concerns that people have about that issue of funding to the Legislative Council. I know that some of our committees need more resources too, and I have spoken to the President about that, as have others. I know that the load of our committees is significant. I have great confidence that the staff can manage that, but nonetheless I also say that democracy does have a cost, and part of that cost is ensuring that the Legislative Council has the capacity to do the work that it needs to do.

But I think the stand-out thing when you look at the independent integrity agencies that are funded through the appropriation of Parliament bill – and indeed some are funded through the general Appropriation (2023–2024) Bill 2023 – is it is interesting to look at the expected outcome for funding. In the case of IBAC, $62.9 million is the expected funding in 2022–23, and the planned funding falls to $62.2 million.

The Parliamentary Budget Office’s funding falls from $3.9 million expected outcome to $3.4 million. The Ombudsman’s funding does increase by $200,000.

Sonja Terpstra: On a point of order, Acting President, I just want to make sure that Mr Davis is speaking on the right bill. This is the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. I just want to make sure that the contribution is about the appropriation for the Parliament generally. I just make that point to make sure that Mr Davis is on the right bill.

David DAVIS: Acting President, further to the point of order –

The ACTING PRESIDENT (John Berger): It is not a point of order. I direct Mr Davis to the bill.

David DAVIS: I am on the bill. I have actually gone to schedule –

Harriet Shing: He said there is no point of order.

David DAVIS: Yes, but I just thought I might, Acting President, for the benefit of the member, explain that I had singled out schedule 1. Schedule 1 lays out precisely the matters I was talking about, and you will see each of the independent agencies that are funded through the appropriation of Parliament bill. It is precisely what I was talking about, for the member’s benefit. I am just trying to be helpful to the member, who clearly does not understand about the schedules at the back of the bill.

Either way, in the case of the Ombudsman there is a tiny increase. The Auditor-General’s funding, from an expected outcome of $33.7 million, falls to $29.8 million. The Victorian Inspectorate falls from $9 million to $8.2 million. Only the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner – which, to pick up the member’s earlier point, is actually not in this bill but is part of the integrity agency regime – is funded, as I alluded to earlier, in another bill, in the general appropriation bill. Its funding falls from $21.1 million as an expected outcome in 2022–23 to $20.1 million, so it is a $1 million fall in the funding for OVIC from the expected outcome this year. If I bring all of those –

Jaclyn Symes: There are no cuts. I explained it all at PAEC.

David DAVIS: Yes, I know, and I might have even written some of the questions, Attorney, just for your interest. But let us be clear –

Harriet Shing interjected.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (John Berger): Proceed, Mr Davis.

David DAVIS: I am just waiting for the member to be silent. My point is that, with the sole exception of the Ombudsman, there will be less money this year coming than the expected outcomes in 2022–23. These cuts in funding to the independent agencies are a significant issue. I can see and understand why Daniel Andrews would want to cut and constrain the agencies – he wants to get them by the neck and squeeze them tight and ensure that they are starved or they cannot get the nutrition that they need to do the work that they need. The Premier, as we know, has been to IBAC four times. We have not heard whether he has been there as a person of specific and special interest or whether he has been there as a mere witness. In the case of the funding for these agencies, I can well understand why the Premier is so touchy, so temperamental and so determined to starve them of the funds that they need. I say that he should have properly funded them.

We have been very clear that there needs to be a better funding regime. We have been very clear that there needs to be a more independent funding regime for organisations like IBAC and the Ombudsman. I note that the announcements that were made by those organisations before the state election followed in fact our announcement that in government, if we were elected – we were not, but if we were we would have taken steps to put in place a more independent funding regime. We did look to New Zealand and see the model in New Zealand, and that is a better model than the model we have here. There are obviously differences in New Zealand – it is a unicameral system, we all understand that, and we are a bicameral system, so there are some differences – but nonetheless it is a fairer way of setting the funding and setting the resources for the independent agencies that are normally funded through precisely this bill, for the member’s benefit. Our agencies need clarity of funding. They need security of funding.

I for one was very concerned about the base review that was done by the Treasurer. Let us be clear that the government is under investigation on a number of fronts by IBAC, and the Treasurer then launches a base review on them. For those who are perhaps not aware of what a base review is, it is a thoroughgoing review of the funding and the spending and the arrangements inside a particular department or agency. The idea that you would actually be undertaking a base review whilst the government is under investigation is I think very concerning. Holding back on funding, holding back on appropriations that were from time to time required by IBAC, is I think reprehensible, and I think that both the Treasurer and the Premier have not covered themselves in glory in this – nor have some others in this chamber indeed as they have cut feed and other matters like that. But the point of the issue here is that these agencies are crucial to democracy. They are crucial for the future of the state.

We understand that not only is keeping corruption down actually the right thing to do and the best thing by our democracy, but it also cuts waste. It also ensures that there is less waste with procurement and contracting. There is less waste as the government goes about its natural and normal spending. We need to make sure that our agencies are in the position to provide the best possible outcome, and that means them being properly funded. At the moment the funding is not adequate, and it is clear that Daniel Andrews and his government have sought to starve these agencies. And they have sought to starve them for the specific purpose of keeping them on a very, very short leash. They do not want them having the capacity to launch more investigations. They do not want them having the capacity to scrutinise and to hold government to account. So I say: properly fund these agencies instead of starving them.

Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (15:22): I rise to make a contribution on the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. It has been quite enlightening to listen to Mr Davis’s contribution and others in the chamber today. I think I will take the high-road approach in my contribution today and acknowledge all of the wonderful people who work in this building. Of course this bill is about funding the staff and the activities in this very building in which we are all fortunate enough to be elected to work.

One of the things that I wanted to focus on today, particularly as the government chair of the Environment and Planning Committee, is the wonderful support and work of the very dedicated and hardworking committee staff that assist members when we are undertaking inquiries referred from this chamber. In the last term of Parliament there were a number of inquiries that our committee dealt with, and of course in this term we are dealing with the flood inquiry, and I am always impressed with the level of detail and support that members are provided with, sometimes in dealing with very complex and sensitive matters, and I am always and forever grateful for the assistance that the staff give us. No task is too big, any request is accommodated, and I think we are very fortunate to work with people who are consummate professionals in what they do. So I look forward to continuing the work that we have undertaken on the flood inquiry and of course producing a report. Of course the staff who work with us on these inquiries also travel to regional areas when they are required, so it is a big undertaking sometimes with inquiries. I know there is the duck inquiry that Mr Batchelor is heading up at the moment, which has also travelled to regional Victoria, and there is a large amount of submissions there, and of course there is a large amount with the flood inquiry, so it is a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside such dedicated committee staff.

Particularly in this chamber I want to give a bit of a shout-out to the President and his office as well. Although the President of course comes from the government benches, his office is assisted ably by his staff, and he meets regularly with the clerks and others in this building to make sure that this place functions efficiently and effectively and ensures that our democracy keeps ticking over here in Victoria. I am forever impressed with the level of dedication and professionalism shown in support of the President’s office and his role and also some of the other functions that have been mentioned as well. We have got the papers office out there, which is staffed by parliamentary staff as well. We have got the budget office – all manner of things that have been mentioned.

I just might, for the sake of the exercise as well, respond to a few of the things that Mr Davis talked about, because I cannot not give a contribution without responding to some of the things that have been previously put in such a negative light. As I said at the beginning of the contribution –

David Davis: You didn’t even know what bill they were in.

Sonja TERPSTRA: I will take up that interjection, Mr Davis. I knew, but I do not think you knew. I think there were a few slip-ups in your words and I thought you did need redirecting, because I was paying very close attention. I just made sure that you were quite on the money there because there was a point where I thought, ‘No, maybe you’re not, Mr Davis,’ and I thought perhaps you might need some redirecting. It was just making sure that you were on the ball there. As I said earlier, I am going to take the high road with this rather than the negative low road, accusing the government over here of all manner of things – scrimping and all the rest of it, which is ridiculous.

As I said at the beginning, the bill is about funding what happens here in Parliament. Mr Davis did mention a number of offices: the parliamentary investigatory committees, the Auditor-General, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman. IBAC received $32 million in the last budget, which provided funding certainty and an increase to its base operational capacity. I know Mr Davis likes to talk about cuts and all the rest of it, but that is simply not the case. The government benches, on this side, when any agency or in particular IBAC has asked for additional funding that has been granted. I think with Mr Davis sitting over there and really being a little bit cute with all of this, the bottom line is that we on the government benches know how important it is to ensure that our integrity agencies are well funded.

We know what would happen if those opposite were in government, because those opposite believe in small government. They are all about cuts to services. I know because in previous lives, when those on the opposition benches have been in government, they have made cuts to services. They have made cuts to our hospitals, they have made cuts to our schools and they have made cuts to our ambulance services. They were at war with the ambulance services.

David Davis: It’s not true.

Sonja TERPSTRA: It is all true. Those opposite really enjoy small government because what those opposite are about is free market, let it rip and ‘We don’t want any constraints on it.’ We always hear things like, ‘We don’t want any red tape. We don’t want any regulations.’ We know that if we look at the track record. We know that Labor are better economic managers. This budget is incredibly responsible. We are funding our very important government services because we know those opposite would not fund them. They believe in small government, and they believe in cuts and slashing services. We on the government benches know how important it is to make sure that we have well-funded services. That is why we are building hospitals. That is why we are building more schools and all those sorts of things. I know this bill is not about those sorts of things.

David Davis: Point of order.

Sonja TERPSTRA: Hang on: I know that this bill is not about those sorts of things.

Matthew Bach: On a point of order, Acting President, we have had a lengthy dissertation from the member about alleged cuts to a whole range of services dating back at least to the 1990s. We hear this sort of thing often from Ms Terpstra. However, we have heard this now for some time. The Chair has ruled on a number of occasions obviously that debates like this are not opportunities to attack the opposition. But, more pertinently, what Ms Terpstra has been saying now for some time bears no relation whatsoever to the bill before the house.

Harriet Shing: On the point of order, Acting President, it would escape nobody’s attention that throughout the course of I would say at least 80 per cent of Ms Terpstra’s contribution we have heard a series of caterwauls from across the way. Mr Davis has been up and about contributing his views through unparliamentary interjections for many minutes now. Dr Bach, I feel sorry for you because you are sitting next to him and I across the way can hear just about everything that he is saying. Perhaps it might be that the member can be heard in silence in order for this contribution to be made in a way that does not offend your delicate sensibilities, Dr Bach, as far as they relate to the point of relevance.

Matthew Bach: On the point of order, Acting President, I am not entirely sure how the unfounded accusation that there were undue interjections from this side of the house has any relationship to the content of Ms Terpstra’s speech, which of course was utterly irrelevant to the bill.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (John Berger): I think I have heard enough. Whilst it has been entertaining to some degree, I would refer the member back to the bill.

Sonja TERPSTRA: I note that those points of order took quite an amount of time away from me. I know that is really what they want to do, which is to make sure that I cannot get these very important matters on the record recorded by Hansard, because we know what they really do not want me to talk about is the reality of what is going on here. In the context of my comments, just to take up Dr Bach’s point of order – and I know, Acting President, you have ruled on these things – what I was talking about –

David Davis interjected.

Sonja TERPSTRA: I can say what I like in my contribution, thanks, Mr Davis. I note for the record it seems that I have got under the skin of those opposite, which was my goal today – to finish on a strong note on the last sitting day of this week. I got under his skin. I told you I was going to take the high road today, and that is exactly what I have done.

Again, as I said, those of us on the government benches know how important it is to fund our parliamentary activities, and on how much is appropriated under the bill, it is a 3.4 per cent increase on the 2022–23 amount of $268,739,000. We know that this is an increase. So those opposite can say all they like – that we are cutting and constraining and starving and all the rest of it, painting a whole picture of doom and gloom – but the reality is, as I said, we here on the government benches know how important it is to ensure that our Parliament is funded appropriately, like our Auditor-General, who does great work, I might add. I love seeing what the Auditor-General reports on and investigates. He is fantastic. They do a great job over there.

Also we have IBAC and the Victorian Ombudsman. I will reiterate that IBAC received $32 million in the last budget, which provided funding certainty and an increase to its base operational capacity. Again those opposite are just heckling me from across the aisle no end, because what they know is that I am speaking the truth when I say we are funding them appropriately. I know the Premier has said on a number of occasions in this term, and probably even in the last term as well, that when IBAC has asked for more money, it has been given to them for them to undertake their important work. Again, I will say that IBAC received $32 million in the last budget, providing funding certainty and an increase to its base operational capacity.

These are all very important functions, and as I said before, if those opposite were in government, we know they would make cuts to a whole range of services and particularly in this building. I note Mr Davis’s contribution earlier touched on committee secretariat staff. He would like to see some more funding for those. But he did note that they ably undertake their functions, and I actually agree with that. Nevertheless I shudder to think what it would look like if those opposite were in government. I am sure that those line items would be cut back quite considerably and that our committee staff would be under even more pressure than they are now. I think it is very hollow rhetoric from those opposite on this bill, but we have come to expect that, and that is okay.

Importantly – and this is why we are better economic managers than those opposite – consistent with previous years Parliament received an exemption from the general efficiency dividend, as the savings imposed are modest when viewed in relation to the state’s final budget. This is what is important. I think we passed a bill this week on payroll tax, for example, and I know those opposite hate anything like that. The reality is – and this is often lost on other people – the bottom line is we have got to make sure that we fund things properly, but this is also about repaying the debt that was generated during COVID.

We are not the only state jurisdiction in Australia that has accumulated debt as a result of the pandemic. So going back to the point about Labor being better economic managers than those opposite, there are lots of things I could talk about, but I am wanting to make sure I stay relevant to the bill, because clearly Mr Davis’s contribution was highly irrelevant and low road, which is what we have come to expect from Mr Davis. People have confidence in us. That is why we got returned with a bigger majority, Ms Shing. I mean, wow, who would have thought, if we were such a poor government, that we would have got returned with a bigger majority.

We deliver a budget every year, and we need to make sure we pass appropriation bills in this house, and here we are today in fact doing that. I just want to commend this bill to the house. I know I have got a minute and a bit left, but I just want to commend this bill to the house, and in so doing I do want to thank all of the staff who work here. I did touch on the committee staff, but I also thank everyone who works down in security, in our dining rooms, in the cafeterias, in our papers office, in the tables office, in Hansard, in broadcasting – there you go, a little shout-out to Hansard and broadcasting over there – and the many, many other staff. I know Ms Shing mentioned the attendants earlier, and they do a great job for us and help us. And of course there are the clerks here as well, who keep a very keen eye on procedure in this chamber. I just want to thank all of them for their hard work and dedication in keeping the seat of democracy ticking over in Victoria. I will leave my contribution there. I commend this bill to the house.

Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (15:37): I really hope my show is not going to be like the previous one. I am just going to thank the staff, and I am going to start with Hansard. The previous effort is probably a good reason why we really do need to thank Hansard, because they have to sit through all that and say nothing. It does not matter which side it comes from, sometimes this place is just a mess. Who knows what the people that have to listen to it that are not us think about it. Anyway, thank you to Hansard. Thank you to the chamber staff and attendants; the Clerk and table officers; and the committee staff, and particularly I look at the waterfowl committee, and with 10,300 or so submissions they are working flat out and it is tough; our electorate officers and advisers, particularly mine, who have to put up with me; the serving staff; and the security and the PSO staff as well. I have probably forgotten a whole lot of people, but it is these times I remind myself that we are members of Parliament and we are here and we do what we do, but we cannot do it without the staff to help us. We are all part of the same function; we are just doing a different part of that function. The same job is to keep democracy going – and give Mr Davis something to interject about.

Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (15:38): I am pleased to join the debate on –

Harriet Shing: It is not a debate.

Ryan BATCHELOR: What is it?

Harriet Shing: It is a song of collective goodwill.

Ryan BATCHELOR: A song of collective goodwill.

David Davis: No, we are grieving about the cuts.

Ryan BATCHELOR: Whether they are songs of joy or grief, we are here to talk about the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023, which obviously is one of the budget bills that Parliament must pass before the end of the session in order to ensure its continued operation. I am sure that all members are going to do our job and make sure that the fine people who keep this place going have the money to enable it to continue beyond the end of the current financial year.

It has been just over six months since we were sworn into this chamber, and it is in contributing on this appropriation bill an opportunity to thank everyone in and around the Parliament – the departmental staff, those who work to support the chamber and particularly, as Mr Bourman said, those who have been supporting us in the committee work, and I will come to that in great detail in a moment – who have done a remarkable job at facilitating the entry into this particular chamber so many new members. I know, Acting President Berger, you are, as I am, a new member into this chamber. The support that we have received from the Department of Parliamentary Services, from the staff, from member services and right across the board has been outstanding.

I can only imagine what it has been like having to put up with so many of us who had no idea what we were doing at the time and who slowly have been learning. Now we may have some idea about what we are doing. But out of the many things that we are full of, we are always full of questions.

Harriet Shing: Hope.

Ryan BATCHELOR: Yes, we are full of hope as well, but more so at the moment in the first six months we have really been full of questions about how things work – about, quite frankly, which way is up in this building; how we get from point A to point B; how we help, as I discovered today, get a desk fixed at short notice so that it does not startle the life out of the Leader of the Government. Every time we have asked a question, every time we have sought advice, we have been both treated with respect, even when some of those questions were particularly silly, and also promptly dealt with and given as much support as we could all possibly need to make our transition into this Parliament and into this Legislative Council as smooth as it possibly could be. I know that all of the members that I speak to – I speak to my colleagues, particularly our new colleagues, the new cohort, a lot – have really appreciated just how willing everyone in this Parliament has been to help us along the journey. It has not always been easy. I am sure we will get better, and please do not stop telling us when we are doing the wrong thing. Some of us might get better.

Harriet Shing: You aspire to get better.

Ryan BATCHELOR: I aspire to get better. I absolutely aspire to get better. Definitely what I am discovering in this place is the aspiration to do better is clearly a universally held motive.

One of the great things that, having come into this place, I have been quite clearly blessed with is a lot of work to do on various parliamentary committees. I have had the great honour of being made a member of three of the standing committees of this Parliament, and I have also had the absolute honour thrust upon me of chairing a select committee, very early in my time here, into the recreational hunting of native birds. It is clearly a topic, as we have discovered, that generates an exceptional amount of interest from the Victorian community. As Mr Bourman made mention of in his last contribution and as we discussed in a committee meeting last night, that parliamentary committee has received now close to 10,500 submissions from members of the Victorian community. It is the most submissions to a parliamentary inquiry that this place has ever seen – 10,500 we have had. It has certainly been a task, digesting and processing those submissions at a scale that no-one has ever experienced before and I do not think anyone really expected we would receive when this was established a short time ago. It might have been February. It might have been March. I cannot remember. It feels like only yesterday that we started this journey.

But I would like to place on record on behalf of all members of the committee that all committee members do appreciate the work the secretariat has been doing in the job of ingesting those submissions. There are those who wanted to have their names, details and stance made public and very clear, and there are others who wanted to make submissions to us and have some of their personal and contact information redacted and withheld. Given the sensitive nature of some of the material that is being presented to us, we have had to do that carefully, and the committee secretariat has been doing an exceptional job of processing those submissions. As I said, we have had about 10,500. The first few thousand have been published on the website so far. The committee has accepted I think all or most of the remaining submissions now, and the remainder of those submissions are going to be thrown up on the website in the next couple of weeks.

It has been interesting to think about what the future holds for our parliamentary committee process. Certainly this committee is one of those events where circumstances force a bit of change in the way that institutions who have been used to doing things a particular way for a long period of time have to confront the reality of needing to do things a little bit differently, and that is what we have experienced in this select committee inquiry into the recreational hunting of native birds. We have had to come up with ways to process submissions faster and to analyse them in a way that we are not used to. It is a very different task trying to get through 50 or even 500 submissions than it is 10,500. The secretariat has been doing an exceptional job. They have also done a very good job at managing the vast array of stakeholders and interest groups who have been seeking to make appearances at our public hearings. It is not always easy to schedule public hearings in a way where as many people as possible are able to give evidence. We have not yet been able to accommodate everyone who has been wanting to make their voices heard in hearings, but we have obviously received and accepted all of those submissions.

The committee has also been mindful – and this is something that has been greatly and well facilitated by the Parliament’s staff – of not just doing hearings here in the parliamentary precinct but getting out and about beyond the confines of this building and the building across the road. I was very grateful that the committee was able to organise our visit on the opening day of this year’s duck-hunting season down to the Connewarre wetlands, where we had several hours walking around in the mud having a look firsthand at the conditions on the game reserve, which is just out the back of Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsula between Barwon Heads and Leopold. The committee is also facilitating a full regional hearing of the committee next Monday in Sale, where again we will be able to get out and see for ourselves and hear firsthand the views of regional Victorians on this topic. It has not been an easy task pulling all those things together and getting out and about and taking the committee out to parts of regional Victoria, and we really do appreciate the support and the work that has gone into that.

I should mention just briefly that although native birds and the native bird inquiry take up a lot of my time, they do not take up all of my heart; I still have room in my heart for the other parliamentary committees that I am a member of.

Sheena Watt: And quails.

Ryan BATCHELOR: And I should not forget the quails; I should not forget the stubble quails. It is not just the ducks, it is also the stubble quails.

There is the work I have been doing as a member of the Integrity and Oversight Committee. There has been a lot of complexity in that committee, which as a new member of Parliament and a new member of that committee I have had to get across in a short period of time, and the committee secretariat there has done a remarkably good job of shepherding our new members through the complex world of Victoria’s integrity system and the Parliament’s role in oversighting those agencies, who are full of complex issues where we have to obviously always tread very carefully.

Also, along with my colleague across the chamber, I am serving on the Legal and Social Issues Committee, and we have got two inquiries now to deal with: one on the state education system, which should be quite interesting, I should say, over the course of the next year I think that one is for; and obviously a shorter inquiry into renting. I am sure those two inquiries –

A member: And the hemp one? Do we have that?

Ryan BATCHELOR: No, we do not have that one. Those two inquiries will certainly be of interest, and I look forward to working with the other committee members and the secretariat on those reports.

The other committee I have the pleasure of being on is the Environment and Planning Committee, and we have a very big inquiry underway into the flooding events from October 2022 and the impact on communities. There is a series of regional hearings for that committee on that topic due in September and October, and I look forward to the ongoing support that the secretariat for those committees is going to be providing, particularly as we get out and about and talk about the flooding events in particular in regional communities.

I am sure we will get those other committees, particularly for the education inquiry, out talking in other parts of Victoria and across regional Victoria as well. There is a lot of value in the hard work that the Parliament does in ensuring that we, outside of the time we spend in this chamber, do inquire into and report on issues that are of considerable interest to the public and assist the public in contributing to those inquiries.

I think one of the things that has been really gratifying is the way in the floods inquiry the parliamentary staff have been out hosting workshops with members of the public, giving them assistance in how to make their submissions to us, so that it is not just us as a Parliament passively sitting and waiting for people to express their views but we as the Parliament, and particularly the parliamentary staff and the committee staff, spending time and effort in supporting the members of the public to have their say and to make sure that their voices can be heard. I think that gives a little insight into and a good example of the quality and the character of the staff who are working for the Parliament and the way in which they view the important role that this institution plays in Victoria’s system of government, in our democracy, but also in making sure that the lines of inquiry that we make through the various committees that we are on are informed and thoughtful and gather the best evidence that they possibly can so that in the deliberations we make we can make sure that that inquiry leads to some good policy recommendations, because fundamentally that is what all of that effort is about. It is about making sure that we are making the best sorts of policy recommendations to hopefully change both the policy and practice but also at times the law so that we can improve the way various parts of Victoria are governed and the quality of the laws and the quality of the services that exist.

As a new member of Parliament, I do want to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have made the transition possible and who have given us the support, and in particular, as someone who is never afraid to spend hours sitting in a committee meeting, the committee secretariat staff from across the Parliament.

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (15:53): I would also like to speak on this bill and also use the opportunity to thank many of the staff who assist all of us in our work and assist me as well. I think, having only been here for six months, this term of Parliament must have been quite different for them given that it is somewhat of a record that over half of the Parliament are new members. That is over half of the Parliament they have had to equip and teach to learn the ropes. I was definitely one of them. I am always very quick with questions for staff, who are always very, very helpful in providing answers to them.

I would like to thank all staff but thank a few people who have assisted me greatly: Anne Sargent, Robert McDonald, Sally West, Spencer King from the property team has been excellent, and Grace Bakopoulos as well. All those staff members have been great to me, particularly after I was thrust into the position of Opposition Whip. All of the team have been quite helpful in helping me into this role and with learning the ropes. I am really enjoying it, and working with the President and working with Mr Tarlamis as well has been quite enjoyable for me as somewhat of a fan of parliamentary procedure and parliamentary process. So I have really, really enjoyed that.

Thanks as well to the Hansard team. They do great work in this Parliament, and I have got to say they are always very complimentary of me for writing back promptly with different names of people I have said in the Parliament, which leads me to believe that some members might not be as enthusiastic in responding to their requests for names and corrections and what people have said in the Parliament. So I would like to thank the Hansard team for that and echo Mr Batchelor’s comments particularly on the parliamentary committees. I sit on three different parliamentary committees, one of them being the native bird hunting inquiry going on at the moment, and the secretariat have done a great job. I would like to thank Matt Newington as well. We went to Lake Connewarre, so they have done a great job getting the committee on the road as well and supporting the committee members. I am looking forward to our trip to Sale on Sunday and Monday – looking forward to having a pie and a pint. Perhaps Mr Batchelor can join me, as well as Mr Galea. I am looking forward to visiting Sale and seeing the wetlands there but also hearing from different participants. I am personally looking forward to hearing from the CFMEU and workers at the CFMEU on their opinion on native bird hunting. As someone who has come onto this native bird hunting committee not knowing much about duck hunting – it is probably the last thing I would actually participate in – it has been quite informative learning about it and informing myself about it so I am better equipped. I actually was at a listening post last weekend in Greenvale and two big, burly blokes came up to me and said, ‘We want to chat to you about duck hunting.’ I was like, ‘I’m actually on the committee.’ They happened to be quite against a ban on duck hunting, and I promptly advised them to speak to their local Labor members.

Other parliamentary committees I am on include the Electoral Matters Committee, of which I am quite fortunate to be the deputy chair. At the moment we are going into a process of reviewing the 2022 election and the conduct of the Victorian Electoral Commission and how things can be improved. They have done extraordinary work, not only in organising for people to submit to the committee but in reaching out to different communities. They held a CALD round table in Footscray a couple of weeks ago and are really reaching out, because one of the major themes in the committee submissions is the participation rate and the informal vote among areas with a high amount of CALD communities, so that is something we are really looking into. I would like to thank Dr Christopher Gribbin and the secretariat of the Electoral Matters Committee for the work that they do, and I am looking forward to continuing to review the 2022 election. Also a quite welcome change is that the terms of reference have finally included changes to group voting tickets, which the government have been reluctant to include the last couple of elections but now have, and I think that is a welcome step forward so we can make sure people that are elected to this place are properly elected by the Victorian people and the will of the Victorian people is followed.

I am also on the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, where we are currently undertaking an inquiry into stamp duty. It has been really good to hear from different expert groups around the state, from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria to the Urban Development Institute of Australia and the Centre for Independent Studies and other groups – all of whom oppose a rent cap, so there is a warning for the government that maybe that policy should not be followed. It is one of the Greens policies they can probably leave to gather dust. That has been a very good committee, and I would like to thank Michael Baker from the Economy and Infrastructure Committee secretariat for the work of the secretariat in facilitating that committee and that inquiry. I know we have got a couple of other inquiries in the pipeline. This chamber seems to love sending inquiries to the Economy and Infrastructure Committee.

I think we are looking into industrial hemp, we are looking into the arts sector and we are also looking into local government. That is one that I supported. All I hear from my local governments is how this government is cost shifting to them and making them pay for everything from kinder to maternal and child health to the Commonwealth Games – you name it. So it will be really good to hear from every single council around the state about their issues and about how they are being let down by the state government, because that is all they seem to be telling me. I know at the Northern Councils Alliance, which I was at with my colleague Mr McGowan, every single council in that alliance – and we also had Liberal leader John Pesutto join us there – raised their concerns about cost shifting. It was only a week after John Pesutto went to the Northern Councils Alliance that they received a long-awaited reply from the Deputy Premier saying she would attend. It is funny how these things work. But we are doing some important work with the NCA, and I am looking forward to their submission to the local government inquiry as well.

I want to echo the thoughts and contribution of my colleague Mr Davis in regard to committee funding. I know he has spoken to the President about additional resources for committees, which are quite strained. We see with the addition of the native bird hunting inquiry, which is a select committee, that having an additional committee has really stretched the resources of other committees. I think my colleagues will attest that it is plain to see in the committee process, so additional resources for those committees are needed. We are seeing with the duck-hunting inquiry over 10,000 submissions. That is an enormous body of work for anyone to get through and for secretariats to process, so I would like to see those committees better equipped. I know the government is always kind of hesitant because a lot of those committees tend to be quite critical of the government.

That also includes our integrity agencies as well. I wish there was a separate process where it was not me or the government deciding the funding for our integrity agencies, with those to be managed independently in a similar vein to what Robert Redlich called for in how IBAC is funded. I still wonder whether the Premier has read his letter, which was widely publicised. But he would like to see the way IBAC is funded change. I think that is a good idea. It should not really be up to the government of the day. There is an inherent conflict in the government deciding how much a corruption body gets funded, and we see that despite calls for more funding for IBAC, that is not being overly forthcoming. So we would like to see, on this side of the house certainly, that happen. With the Auditor-General as well, who we have seen moved on, I think it is really important that the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office is funded, and it probably should be increased, and of course the Parliamentary Budget Office’s funding as well.

I would like to again thank all the Parliament staff for their assistance. For me as a new member it has been a whirlwind experience, and they have always been very helpful. Everyone from IT to Hansard to the clerks of the Parliament have all been very helpful in getting me on my feet, getting my feet under the desk in my office. I am soon moving to another office, so they have been very helpful in that as well, which of course helps me have a base to be able to get out and about in the forgotten northern suburbs of Melbourne, which have been so neglected by this government.

That of course allows me to get out and about in the community. The staff have been very helpful in assisting with motions and with all sorts of things. As Ms Shing said, when I forget a password, they are always very, very helpful, at all hours. Even when I have come into Parliament and left my parliamentary pass at home, they are always very helpful in providing me with a temporary parliamentary pass. I do not think there is a single person in this chamber that that has not happened to. They have gone to get their swipe card, and it is not there. The parliamentary staff are always very, very helpful with that. I would like to conclude my contribution.

Jacinta ERMACORA (Western Victoria) (16:06): I speak on the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. I would like to first acknowledge the contributions of others on this bill in this chamber. It has been fantastic to hear the varied appreciation of the Department of Parliamentary Services and about all of the different teams involved in supporting MPs and the work of the Parliament in this place. I am quite amazed that I have not yet left my pass behind. I fully expected that that would happen, and it has not. It probably will happen now that I have said it; I should touch wood.

I acknowledge the work of the attendants, who in the first week of Parliament sitting in February were completely run off their feet by the fact that I did not really know what to bring to this chamber. I did not know when I was going to be doing a speech in the first week either. Certainly the attendants not only provided me with those materials from my staff member but also helped my staff member, who got lost several times running from my parliamentary office to this chamber. It seems that in only six months so many things are feeling so much more familiar and even a little bit comfortable. Of course we have much to thank the Department of Parliamentary Services for that. I appreciate the contribution from Mr Batchelor on the work of the committees as well.

My particular contribution today is going to be from the perspective of a new MP, and I intend to express my appreciation to all of the teams involved in supporting my transition from not being an MP to being a member of Parliament and things working as they should. I want to thank each of the teams that I did not know even existed prior to me becoming an MP that have helped me in the steps along the way.

One of those was the fleet management team. As an outer regional MP I really appreciated that they were able to find me a vehicle quickly so that I was able to travel to and from Parliament easily, based on just how far I have to travel. Also the payroll team and Amanda Barfoot – we did have a little error and things took a while to get started in that space, but Amanda Barfoot and her team were fantastic at fixing those things. Computer set-up – Chris Prasad not only assisted me here at Parliament but also travelled to Warrnambool to set up my temporary office, including the server and all of the computers and the devices that we need. And then again, having listened to other contributions on this bill, a number of people have forgotten their passwords. But even for just learning how to log in and create a newly acceptable password and all of the security that you need, Chris and his team – Imran – have been fantastic in that space.

Regarding the temporary office set-up in Warrnambool, from my perspective I am establishing the first Labor MP’s office in Warrnambool since 1955, according to the parliamentary library. Yes, I am currently still in two tiny temporary rooms, but I would like to thank Brian O’Neill from property services for his support in helping get set up in the little bunker that we are in but also for his search around the city to find an acceptable building for me and my team to settle in permanently.

The security team is another team that I would like to express my appreciation for. When I came along and did the onboarding I appreciated the advice that they gave on how to conduct ourselves entering and leaving the property here in the parliamentary precinct. I also appreciate that Chris Pace, who looks after the south-west region – all of the MPs in that area – came down to Warrnambool on the day that my office was being set up as well. I appreciate anybody that comes to Warrnambool, because often it seems like it is further from Melbourne to Warrnambool than it is from Warrnambool to Melbourne.

The financial management team – just getting all of the financial set-up and then to actually try and practise correctly and then realise that you actually know how to do it is not an easy thing. In fact it was quite daunting, so I really appreciate the work and effort of Rachel, who came down to Warrnambool as well and explained to us the electorate office and communications budget.

In particular I want to talk about the HR team as well today because I found that the people and capability team provided me with one of the most valuable services that I have experienced in my transition phase to becoming an MP. I chose to use the full HR electorate office appointment process during the period that I was searching for staff. In particular I want to express my appreciation to Danielle Blanco and Maddy Curtis from the Department of Parliamentary Services people and capability team. They assisted me in developing, right from the start, the position description and making sure that that was all correct. Then they worked with me to develop the job advertisements. Then in the next step they took me through where I wanted to be advertising, which was of course all the way through the Western Victoria Region. Then they actually put the advertisements in the paper, and all applications were received by Maddy and Danielle’s team, so I did not have to administrate that myself, which was fantastic. We used online job advertisement sites as well as local newspapers, and that was all seamlessly done by the Maddy and Danielle’s team. Then when it came to short-listing, they provided me with their experience and guidance on discussing short-listing, which was fantastic. When it came to the interview process, Danielle came all the way to Warrnambool and joined us on the interview panel so that we could run the process according to due process and in an appropriate manner.

She helped us ensure that we had a uniform set of questions for each applicant and that we had a uniform rating system for each of the applicants after each interview. Most significantly, Danielle provided some gems of wisdom for making those final decisions about who would be on my team and who I would offer those roles to. I must say that everything has landed beautifully for me, and I am absolutely thrilled with my electorate office team, which includes three very, very talented people. All three of them have skill sets that are diverse and different to mine and diverse and different to each other’s. They include Kylie Gaston, Kelly Wortley and Matt Pitkin. One of the skills that they have that I really particularly appreciate is the joy and laughter when we learn something new. They really have been a pleasure to work with. Finally, the HR team assisted me in making sure that I was able to inform the unsuccessful applicants effectively and appropriately and to navigate the new staff members through their onboarding process for themselves.

I understand that this was the first time that a full HR appointment process was offered for MPs to use, should they choose to use it. There are three ways to appoint: one is to choose and advise HR, then there are steps along the way and then you appoint; the second one is to run the advertisement yourself as an MP in your own local community; and the third way, which I chose, was to run a full independent process, which I found to be fantastic. What I think is particularly positive and reflective of the kind of support that the Department of Parliamentary Services provides is that MPs can choose how they do that. There was not any prescription as to which is the right way. You had your three options, and you could do whichever one was right for you.

I would like to thank the Department of Parliamentary Services for the last six months for the experience that I have had in being onboarded in all the different categories that I have experienced, including my time on the Economy and Infrastructure Committee. I have been fascinated to learn the processes involved in being on a parliamentary committee and to understand the depth of information that you have exposure to when you are participating in a committee and, again, the academic level of capability that the researchers have who are supporting these committees. I really enjoyed research studies when I was at university, and I also taught a little bit of research at South West TAFE in a community services course. It really quite fascinates me, the level of research framework, in a sense, that is used in these committee inquiries.

I think the last area that I would appreciate is the annexe out the back of this Hogwarts-style building here, which is stunning and beautiful. There is such a contrast between this very ancient – perhaps not ancient, but very old looking – building and then walking out to our offices at the back, which are state of the art, other than a few minor issues that are being addressed currently, with plenty of good facilities and space for running exactly the kinds of activity that we do during a sitting week.

I would appreciate if the weather was a bit better whilst we were running between the two buildings, but Minister Shing said she is not going to take control of the weather. She cannot do that. The Department of Parliamentary Services have looked after so many things, but they cannot look after the weather for us in that space. I do heartily support this bill and endorse the work of the Department of Parliamentary Services and all of those that look after this place.

Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (16:20): Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak in the chamber here today on the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. There is so much that I was thinking upon when reflecting on the Parliament and the staff and the team that make days like this a success. I want to firstly reflect on the current staff, and that includes – well, they are all over the place. Let me begin with the attendants – the attendants that look after us here in the mornings from the very beginning. I pay due credit to those attendants just out the back that keep us quiet so that when we enter the chamber to begin our proceedings we are not speaking too loudly, if at all, over the Lord’s prayer. You know who you are, and I am very grateful to you, and also for those that make sure we have all the information that we need when we might be running a little bit later than expected on the printing out of various papers and contributions. Attendants, thanks for doing what you are doing.

Sometimes if you are in here after hours what you might see is not the attendants but a range of hosts touring young folks from our community, community groups, international visitors and others, letting them know a little bit about what it is that we do here in our Parliament, what are the ancient traditions, customs and protocols that make our Victorian Parliament so unique. Having stumbled upon from time to time various different tour groups here in our Parliament, can I just say, the looks of awe and inspiration that come particularly from our school students as they learn about the history and the decisions that have been made in this room throughout the years – it is a pretty special opportunity. To those that remember the deep and historic traditions of our Parliament, to those that remember the quirky little facts, like the chain above that was supposed to be – what is it, broken but somebody decided to in fact fix it up because they thought it was broken and needed fixing? That is one of the good ones that I remember, but there are plenty of others that have been shared by our beautiful and really, really special hosts, so thank you to them for the work that they do.

Ever present in our time here in the chamber is the Hansard team, not just here but offsite as well. To those in Hansard, can I say a big thankyou. I know that I do from time to time put some very tricky words into Hansard, words that have not been in the proceedings of our Parliament before – words that should have been uttered in this chamber for a very long time, but nonetheless I am very proud indeed to be someone that has introduced Aboriginal words into the Hansard of our state. It does not go unnoticed by Aboriginal communities just what a difference it makes to see their words, their language and their culture represented in the history of the decisions that are made for the governing of our state. To the Hansard team, I know that is something that you have reached out to me about a couple of times: ‘How do I spell these words?’ I will just mention a couple. One that I spoke last sitting week was Wungurilwil Gapgapduir, which is an Aboriginal children’s strategy that I was involved in, or Bubup Wilam, the Aboriginal children’s centre in my electorate of Northern Metropolitan Region, or others like Barengi Gadjin, the traditional owners in Ms Ermacora’s part of the world.

It is a very special thing to have these words introduced into our Parliament and that record captured by our Hansard team. I noticed actually in the recently launched reconciliation action plan of the Parliament of Victoria that that work is actually identified as a special piece, enhancing and contributing our efforts as a Parliament towards reconciliation. So thank you to the Hansard team for the part you play in doing that; it is really very special.

Further to that work in reconciliation here, I was really proud to get my copy from Anne Sargent – and a big thankyou, Anne, for all that you do and the kindness and the patience that you show so very many of us. But receiving that reconciliation action plan that I know many, many folks in the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) have worked on is a really proud achievement for our Parliament. It is the first time we have had a reconciliation action plan that talks to all the things that we are doing as a department.

I am really excited about some of the steps, including embedding Aboriginal history and Aboriginal stories much more into our tours that I just spoke about. What is really striking and very special is the artwork commissioned by the Department of Parliamentary Services that sits in the hallway. It is a work done by Tom Day – the third, I believe – that talks to his connection to country, kin and culture. He is connected culturally and ancestrally through much of Victoria. That work featured on the reconciliation action plan and really is the first major commission of Aboriginal artwork for the Parliament. It sits in such a prominent place. So whilst I have from time to time taken young folks around this Parliament and talked them through, you know, why this place is red and why some of the carpet is red and some green, I find it really exciting to see some Aboriginal stories captured here in this place so that Aboriginal young people can feel more welcomed and more reflected in this building by the commissioning of that work by the Department of Parliamentary Services only so recently. Can I say thank you to you for what you do.

Complementary to that is the work of our library team. They have made available to all of us from time to time various resources that mean that we can do our jobs effectively. I personally have come to the library team with various silly questions, silly inquiries and hard-to-find asks, and I do very, very much appreciate you for what you do, even when you turn your beautiful library into a photo studio and a make-up centre for those of us getting our happy snaps for the parliamentary photo book. That was very good of you, library team. Thank you very much. I am sorry if you had to hear many, many members talking that day a little loudly about, I do not know, hairs being out of place and outfits being not quite right. It was good. That was not indeed the last time I was in the library but is one that kind of comes to my memory, I have got to say.

I will also just say on a very serious note that our security team deserve some recognition for the work that they do. There have been very troubling experiences for a range of members, with some very tough public debates playing out in this place leading to some increased security concerns for members both here in this place but also in the work that we do outside. Security have always conducted themselves with such compassion and professionalism. It is worth that being acknowledged, and I hope that we do that with the passage of the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill.

I also know that, even though I have spoken a little bit about those members of the DPS team that we see most frequently, there are of course folks over there at 55 St Andrews Place and elsewhere that do work that we might never really know about, but it just makes the place run a little bit smoother and it ensures that our democracy is ever so much stronger. Particularly, I have got to say to the team behind our community work: there is such an extraordinary amount that you do. I say that as somebody who is currently involved in a committee that has received over 10,000 submissions and who has been involved in the great number of submissions that have been received not only for this inquiry into our native duck hunting arrangements but for previous ones – I am thinking of the one into the pandemic bill and others. So it is quite extraordinary, the work of our committee staff.

Of course I too join Ms Ermacora in acknowledging the enormously steep learning curve coming in as a new member. I know for me, it only having been 2½ years ago, I still remember it like it was yesterday. I am glad to hear that that consistent high level of service and support, encouragement and patience are enjoyed by our newest members, those elected in November. It continues; that is a good thing. It was not just for those of us that were lucky enough to come in at a different time to everybody else, members like Dr Bach, like me, like Mr Erdogan and like Mr McIntosh. Some of us have had the somewhat special ability to have all that assistance when we needed it for just our good selves, and others have come in as part of a cohort, which is, I suspect, perhaps a little bit easier.

I am going to round out my remarks by acknowledging Barry Cull. I did not have a chance to put on the record my deep appreciation and thanks for Barry Cull and for all that he did in his service to Parliament and the Department of Parliamentary Services over, I believe, 23 years – I will seek some guidance on that, but I think that sounds about right. Somebody can, I am sure, clarify that with me later if I am in fact off the mark. But Barry Cull, the manager of member services – very long serving and a support for all of us here in this place – was there to answer all the silliest of silly questions with a real patience, kindness and an ever-flowing cup of chocolates for just when you thought that it could not get any worse. Sometimes he ran out of my favourite, Picnics, but nonetheless he learned very quickly that they were my faves and always made sure to fill up. So, Barry, I never got to say that to you before you departed on your whirlwind farewell tour, but to you, thank you very, very much for your very long and esteemed service to our Parliament and to our members, new and long serving alike. It was a generosity and a kindness that will not be soon forgotten by anybody in here.

To whoever the new Barry Cull is, I am really sorry to report that you will probably be known as the new Barry Cull for a little while, and that is okay. Please wear it as a very profound badge of honour, because you know what? That is a good title to have and one that you should wear with great pride, because to follow in his footsteps is an extraordinary thing.

I know that there are other things and other folks that make this place work, but I will finish up with the President and the Deputy President and the team that goes around them that make sure that we do the job that we were elected to do. To the teams supporting our President and Deputy President and the clerks and others: thank you. Thanks for being here for the long hours. Can I just say to you all: it is much, much appreciated and truly very, very valued, and I look forward to another opportunity to get up in this place and speak to your contributions to our Parliament and our democracy.

Lee TARLAMIS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (16:35): I also rise to speak on the Appropriation (Parliament 2023–2024) Bill 2023. I will take this opportunity to acknowledge and talk about the wonderful staff, and I will endeavour not to forget people, because there are so many people that do important work to facilitate us fulfilling our obligations as members of Parliament and our service to the community. I will do my best not to forget anyone. In saying that, it is probably a good segue for me to address the elephant in the room, which was Ms Shing running out of time before she could actually acknowledge Richard Willis for all the work he does and the support that he provides. I take this opportunity, on behalf of Ms Shing, to thank Richard Willis for all that he does and all the support that he provides. Having addressed this oversight in the way that I have, it has probably drawn more attention to it. Now that I have acquitted that –

Harriet Shing: On a point of order, Deputy President, I was just wondering, because I found it difficult to hear, if Mr Tarlamis could just repeat what he said about Richard Willis, about his contribution, just out of an abundance of caution to make sure that it is properly reflected in Hansard.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I am quite sure Hansard caught it, but if Mr Tarlamis would like to repeat it, that would be fine.

Lee TARLAMIS: I will, for the benefit of Ms Shing, who did not quite hear what I said. I was putting on the record her oversight in not acknowledging Richard Willis. I have now acknowledged Richard Willis for his contribution. Having acquitted that on several or even more occasions, I shall now move on.

I have been around this place in one way or another, in one role or another, since around 1996, so I have seen a lot of staff come and go. I like to think that is not because of anything that I have done, because I have always had a very good relationship with all of the staff. In addition to the current staff that are here that I want to thank, I also want to thank all those past staff members who contributed over many, many years and who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this place function. It is not something that gets noticed by those from outside, but everyone plays an enormous role. This place is – there are many ways you could describe it. You could describe it as a dysfunctional family maybe, but we all have important roles and parts to play and they all work together to support one another. I thank all the past staff as I go through this, and I also acknowledge the current staff.

That goes for the clerks – we see firsthand the work that they do, day in and day out, supporting us – as well as the attendants. Nothing is ever too challenging in terms of the support. Sometimes, I am sure, they get a little bit frustrated with some of the questions we ask, and some of the questions we ask them several times – the same question – maybe even more than several times we ask them the same question, but they are always there to support us. That extends to the Hansard team, the library, the catering and kitchen staff, the broadcast staff, the committee staff and the security and PSOs. As I said, they all have integral parts and roles to play in helping us do the work that we do. On the hours that they have to keep because of the work that we do here, sometimes they do not know how long we are going to be sitting or that we are going to be sitting later, and they have to adjust to the schedules that we set. The fact that they do that and you do not hear them complaining about it is testament to their commitment to this place, so for that we are extremely appreciative.

I want to thank my parliamentary colleagues on all sides of the chamber – and even in that place over the other side there. We will extend it to them as well. I think this Parliament has shown how we can work together, get through the business that we need to get through and work cooperatively on many occasions. I thank those that work with me as the Government Whip to help facilitate the smooth running of this place, and I hope that that can continue in that way going forward for the remainder of the term. Maybe some others can learn from the way in which we conduct ourselves in this place.

I want to acknowledge also the President for the role that he plays not just in this chamber but throughout the whole organisation. The President is quite passionate about enabling members of Parliament to do the work that they do and ensuring that they have what they need to do that, but he also is a fierce advocate for the staff of this place and is always working to ensure that they have what they need to do the job that they do, and that is extremely welcomed. But there are the Deputy President and the acting presidents as well. I will start with the Deputy President, who spends a lot of time in committee, particularly in this chamber. That can be a challenging time, a challenging task, but that should also be acknowledged. And to the acting presidents, who step up to fill in chairing this place, thank you.

Having been a new member, although it was some time ago and things were very different back then, it is quite a daunting place. I had been around the movement for some time before I came into Parliament. When you come in, people make assumptions that because you have been around the movement a while you know exactly how Parliament works, and nothing could be further from the truth. It is a very different place, and there are a lot of practices, procedures and things that you need to get your head around. I think the way in which the members have banded together and shown that camaraderie, again across the chamber, to basically support the newer members and help them find their feet has been good to see occurring, so I thank everyone who has been involved in doing that as well. Certainly when I came in I had members that had been here a lot longer than me step up and help me find my footing so that I could navigate this place.

I should also thank the handful of people that regularly and eagerly tune into this place remotely. I am probably understating it. I know that there are many, many people. It does not factor into the ratings system, but it probably should, the people that tune in here and listen to us legislators making the decisions that we do. I thank those dedicated people who tune in regularly to listen to what we are doing in this place. Thank you for your dedication and appreciating the work that we do.

I want to also acknowledge the Victorian Parliament Former Members Association. It is not an organisation that gets a lot of recognition, although we have dealt with some matters in recent times that have acknowledged the work that they do. But they do provide a critical role in supporting former members of Parliament.

I want to mention the fact that they did commission a report with Deakin University, which has been getting a lot of international recognition. It is a very good piece of work, and I encourage people to look it up and read it. I think there is more work to do in that space. But I think we should thank the Victorian Parliamentary Former Members Association for the work that they do. Again, it is one of those things that a lot of people do not really recognise or see, but they are working very hard behind the scenes. They are reaching out to former members, ringing them, making sure they are okay and travelling well and those sorts of things. It is a very good organisation, and I think any support we can give them is welcomed. I have had the opportunity to work with them both in this place as a member but also as an adviser in my previous role. Using their pool of knowledge and consulting with them when there are changes that impact them is really good to get an insight into what is happening in that space.

The committee staff have been talked about quite a bit in the contributions here today, but we should appreciate the work that they do. For those who are not aware, the committee process is a really interesting process. Some people may go into some of the inquiries with preconceived ideas and things like that. But having been on a number of committees over many years and chaired the Electoral Matters Committee, I have been there with colleagues when they have actually heard various submissions and testimonies in public hearings from people, and you can see the look on their face when they are surprised by what has come out. So it really is an educative and invaluable process for us to be able to go out there into the community and talk to people and hear firsthand what is happening to them and how things are impacting them and be able to reflect that in the recommendations of the reports. The committee staff do an amazing job supporting members. It is not always an easy task. Some of the inquiries are quite challenging in the topics and everything as well. But they are there living and breathing it every day. Even when we as committee members finish our public hearings and go off and do other things, they are still there ensuring that everything is functioning and doing all of that hard work behind the scenes. So it is important to acknowledge them as well for that role that they play. For all those many, many, many people listening at home, I would encourage you to look up the committee webpage and look at some of the past reports and current reports that have been produced. There is some really interesting stuff there, and I think it is quite educative.

I want to thank the parliamentary staff who play that educative role in terms of the school tours. We see many schools touring through this place, and it is really important that they have the opportunity at that young age to be able to come in and learn about what happens here, talk about community engagement and about civics and being active in their community and how they can make a difference if they step up, and to basically welcome them into what is the people’s house and let them know that they can aspire to serve in this place too. It is not beyond the reach of anybody. Anyone can do it. So it is wonderful to see that.

I also love it when this place is opened up for functions. Just recently we had the function for the 30th anniversary of the Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre, acknowledging the important work that they do and continue to do. But also other different multicultural and multifaith organisations come in here and celebrate from time to time. There are various exhibitions that we see, like the Brotherhood of St Laurence, who are in here this week showcasing all the amazing work that they do. We should be doing more of that and encouraging more of that, to basically open this place up for the public, the community organisations and those who are out there serving the community each and every day to inform us about the important things they are doing and the important outcomes they are ensuring because of the important work that they are doing. We should be facilitating that as much as possible and doing that a lot more. As I said, it is the people’s Parliament, and we should be bringing the community and people in here as often as possible.

I have been really privileged to serve in this place for as long as I have and to fight for outcomes for the community that I represent and for greater Victoria. It is something that I hold dear, and it is something that I am very appreciative of, because not everyone gets the opportunity to make that contribution or to perform this role. So I am very grateful for that, and it would not be possible without all the staff and everyone that makes this place function. I would like to do a wide shout-out to everybody for the roles that they do and for making it possible to do the work that we do.

Motion agreed to.

Read second time.

Third reading

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (16:51): I move, by leave:

That the bill be now read a third time.

Motion agreed to.

Read third time.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Pursuant to standing order 14.28, the bill will be returned to the Assembly with a message informing them that the Council have agreed to the bill without amendment.