Wednesday, 13 May 2026

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:55): (2524) My adjournment is for the Minister for Youth, and the action I seek is for the minister to meet with me and Scouts Victoria to consider their proposal for $16 million over four years to upgrade and maintain ageing facilities and to establish a presence in Victoria’s rapidly growing communities. Scouts Victoria has a long and proud history, and I had the great privilege and opportunity to meet with representatives from Scouts Victoria. I know that we have not enough facilities and not big enough facilities, certainly in the south-east. In fact our family has purchased Christmas trees from the Cranbourne Scouts each year, and we know that they have a very tiny facility in an area that has now grown and become no longer a country town but a very large suburb and a growing and sprouting suburb, at that, of many different suburbs. We have Cranbourne East, Cranbourne West, Cranbourne North and Cranbourne South, and yet we still have one tiny, little Scout hall out that way.

For more than a century Scouts have provided opportunities for children and teenagers to develop confidence, teamwork, problem-solving skills and a strong sense of civic responsibility. In fact, if we consider the mission of Scouts, we can actually look at how they are building resiliency in young people. In a time and era when we have such a high amount of crime in all of our areas throughout the south-east, to not be able to support things that will actually change it that are run by volunteers is, in my opinion, not wise. To not keep up with the times and support these programs so they can have facilities to take in new families that are growing and are in growing areas is also short-sighted. The state’s growth corridors, particularly in the south-east, the west and the north, are home to thousands of young families, and many of these families have little or no Scout presence at all.

Scouts Victoria has identified that without investment they cannot meet the demand in these new communities or continue to safely operate in older facilities that are no longer fit for purpose. Their proposal seeks $16 million over four years to do the following: upgrade and maintain ageing Scout halls across the state; build new facilities in growth communities; ensure safe, accessible spaces for young people; and expand programs that support leadership, wellbeing and community engagement. This investment would strengthen one of Victoria’s most trusted youth organisations and ensure that future generations have access to the same opportunities that have benefited so many before them. Scouts Victoria are not simply asking for funding, they are asking for a partnership that recognises the role they play in building the next generation of Victorian leaders. Minister, I call on you to meet with Scouts Victoria and me and explore how the government can support their proposal, ensuring that young people across our state have access to safe, modern facilities and the life-changing opportunities that Scouting provides.