Thursday, 12 September 2024

 Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (10:13): I want to acknowledge our mental health and disability workforce. You support and care for Victorians day in and day out with little fanfare, helping so many people, their families and their extended networks. For me personally in this role it is incredibly valuable to meet so many of you and hear about the rewarding but also the challenging aspects of your role in the work that you do. Ensuring the opportunity for MPs to hear directly from our frontline workers, I want to also acknowledge the Health and Community Services Union – Paul, Bec, Steph, James, Lou and so many of you, all the team there – making sure that workers have the opportunity for MPs and decision-makers to hear directly from them, whether it is veterans in the field or graduates. We have had the opportunity in Parliament of having disability workers come in and talk about the importance of training and what is happening in their field, mental health nurses from 18 mental health service areas coming in, Forensicare coming in and lived-experience workers coming in and talking about their personal experiences and how they are assisting people day in, day out in their work. Also we have been able to get out into your workplaces and hear directly, whether it has been Frankston Hospital, Bayview House or Carinya. So again, I just want to thank you all for the work that you do.