Thursday, 18 June 2026

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:18): This week Leader of the Opposition Jess Wilson and I invited some of our local Chinese Australian journalists and WeChat influencers to Parliament for a round table. The discussion was practical. It covered community safety, housing, investment technology and how Victoria can turn its advantages into a real opportunity. On safety, the feedback was that the community no longer feels secure. One journalist said they lost about $100,000 worth of media equipment, and while they found the police were very competent and helpful, they were stretched too thinly to properly deal with the report. Victorians have also seen footage of a broad daylight attack near Box Hill Central this week. These incidents change how people move through their own community. On housing, people raised the pressure facing families, young people and new arrivals trying to build a stable life in Victoria and how crime actually turns away investment. Jess Wilson spoke about the need to streamline approval processes, because confidence is lost when people face delay, disruption and red tape instead of clear decisions. On technology, we spoke about backing data centres, digital infrastructure and the industries that will drive future productivity. A government that is serious about growth would restore safety, fix the housing supply, reduce approval friction and give Victoria a clearer economic direction.