Wednesday, 4 October 2023

Ministers statements: State Emergency Service Cobram unit

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:39): I would just like to update the house on the recent opening of the new $6 million dedicated home base for the Cobram SES unit. Last month I was incredibly honoured to open the new facility alongside dedicated volunteers from the Cobram unit and VICSES officials, and so many people from the community turned out for this event. The facility has been a long time coming, and it is going to make a vital difference to the Cobram volunteers, who for the first time have their very own home base on the right side of the border. It was shortly after I became a member for Northern Victoria that volunteers took me to their home, which at that point in time was over the river in Tocumwal. They have created –

A member interjected.

Jaclyn SYMES: It is a lovely place, but it is not super convenient for the Cobram volunteers to have to go to another state to access their facilities and their vehicles.

I am incredibly proud as both a local member and the minister that I was able to join with that community and celebrate a fantastic facility for this deserving group of volunteers. There were representatives from across the board. We had Ambulance Victoria, we had police, we had fire representatives and indeed we had local council. Last year alone this hardworking unit responded to more than 100 requests for assistance, so this modern facility now features four new motor bays, a well-equipped office space and dedicated communications and training rooms. It will allow them to retain existing volunteers, expand their membership base and grow their operational capabilities.

SES volunteers do an incredible job, and I do note that today many will be taking time off work and spending time away from their families to help Victorians through the current weather conditions, whether that be clearing fallen trees, responding to flooding or clearing building damage. For your information, more than 300 calls for assistance were received by SES just in the last 24 hours. Whatever the emergency and whatever the task, our SES members and especially Cobram members have always demonstrated a selfless attitude, and we on this side, who have listened to this statement, actually respect the work of the SES.

Wendy Lovell: On a point of order, President, on the question that Mr Davis asked of the water minister, I have been advised that one of my constituents has been advised that releases from Lake Eildon will increase from 4500 megalitres per day to 10,000 megalitres per day this afternoon and that they will ramp up to 20,000 megalitres –

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Ms Lovell. You know well that is not a point of order.

Jaclyn Symes: On the point of order, President, just to put on the record, I think Ms Lovell has a good intention in wanting to bring that information to the attention of the minister – I would encourage her to have a conversation with the minister about it – but to use a point of order in the way that Ms Lovell has when she knows it is not a point of order but is allowed to continue to use the opportunity to put on the record information that she should not is an inappropriate use of the Parliament. I would certainly encourage her to share her information with the minister but to do it more appropriately if she really wants a decent outcome.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: I have ruled that it is not a point of order. Ms Lovell, no-one disagrees it is an important issue. But we all know the standing orders, and you know them as well as anyone else, I believe. It was not a point of order, and neither was the Leader of the Government’s.