Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Northern Metropolitan Region

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (13:05): (718) My question is to the Minister for Creative Industries, and it concerns the $200,000 cut to Melbourne Youth Orchestras. What is the minister doing to ensure funding for Melbourne Youth Orchestras is secured? Learning music at a young age has profound benefits for the development of life skills, improving mental health outcomes through community involvement. Moradi, a young musician from Broadmeadows in my electorate, has experienced brain tumours and undergone surgery twice at only 15. Her ability to pursue a career in music depends on this scholarship. As I said in my maiden speech, while the political class rolls out the pork barrel to sporting clubs, worthwhile arts organisations and the arts are not even getting the crumbs off the table. Heartless and cruel decisions like this one are what Labor does because of the debt level being more than New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania combined. They are desperate for cash where they can get it, even if it means going after disadvantaged children. This is how desperate they are.

Samantha Ratnam: On a point of order, President, at the conclusion of questions without notice, prior to constituency questions, the Minister for Housing in responding to my question concluded by making an accusation that I was peddling lies yet gave no context or no detail to substantiate that allegation. I believe she was reflecting on me as a member, and I would ask you to direct her to withdraw those comments about me.

The PRESIDENT: She is not here, but you are correct: a member cannot accuse another member of lying. They can accuse a whole party or whatever of lying, but they cannot do that. I will uphold your point of order, and at the next opportunity I will ask the minister to withdraw.