Tuesday, 29 July 2025

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) presented a petition bearing 116 signatures:

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the Government’s decision to cut around $200,000 of funding to Halls Outdoor Education, a Gembrook based provider of unique outdoor leadership training that has operated for nearly 30 years.

Halls Outdoor Education is the only provider in Victoria of Certificate III Outdoor Leadership and ropes training for Victoria and NSW, delivering vital skills to industries like the Australian Defence Force. The funding cut will result in job losses including the cancellation of nearly 30 traineeships with 13 employers and cause significant harm to the regional community and the local economy.

This modest funding is equivalent to the cost of a single traffic controller and is dwarfed by the billions spent on projects like the Suburban Rail Link or the millions paid weekly to consultants. Its removal disproportionately impacts regional youth, businesses, and the outdoor education sector, which the Government has acknowledged needs 500 new trained workers annually to meet demand.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to urgently reinstate funding to Halls Outdoor Education to safeguard its unique training services, regional jobs, and youth opportunities.