Thursday, 19 June 2025

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (10:20): One of the pleasures and privileges of being in this job is listening to inspirational women from the regions. Across Victoria’s regions women are raising urgent concerns about the challenges facing their communities, from bushfire management to mental health, education and coastal livelihoods. The message is clear: rural and regional Victoria is being ignored by this government. Emergency services are under strain, with declining CFA morale due to ingrained Labor disrespect and insufficient investment in bushfire preparedness. Farmers are battling the worst drought in decades, yet support remains overwhelmingly inaccessible and ill-suited to real-world needs. Mental health services are critically lacking, particularly in youth, and there are little to no services in our rural towns. Rising school refusal rates are of growing concern, as are the ever-increasing needs of domestic violence victims for support. Education is another flashpoint: teacher shortages and oversized classrooms are forcing students to leave towns for senior schooling, often never to return. Infrastructure and public assets sit idle while red tape blocks local solutions. Meanwhile, coastal communities face infrastructure closures and reduced fisheries support, and reasonable requests from the community fall on deaf ears. Women are not just asking for handouts, they are demanding practical community-led solutions. I thank them for their inspiration, and we will continue to advocate for their issues.