Wednesday, 27 August 2025

Living Libraries infrastructure program

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (19:01): (1891) My adjournment this evening is for the Minister for Local Government, Minister Staikos in the other place –

Tom McIntosh interjected.

Michael GALEA: A fine minister indeed, Mr McIntosh. The action that I am seeking is an update on the support being provided to local libraries by the Allan Labor government. We have many studious and shrewd members in this place, I am sure you will agree, President, and I would like to take this opportunity, in the spirit of bipartisanship, to recognise and congratulate Ms Bath, Ms Crozier and Ms Lovell for shrewdly not supporting some of the outrageous comments by the Liberal backbench in a recent motion – it is very much appreciated.

Libraries serve a very important role in our communities, and we know that through the Living Libraries infrastructure program. The grant applications for that are actually now open. They will close on 19 September. I very much encourage all of the fantastic local libraries in the south-east to engage with this program again, indeed as many have in the past, because we know that previously Dandenong library received a little bit over $300,000 towards a project to deliver parents, multifaith and quiet study spaces, providing more welcoming and accessible facilities to meet the community’s needs. We have also seen Bunjil Place Library in Casey receive $14,000 towards their study zone project. Many worthwhile projects have already been supported by this scheme, big and small, and I want to make sure that libraries in my region are engaging with this process again. I would appreciate the minister’s update.