Tuesday, 25 August 2026

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (14:20): As I near the end of my 24-year tenure in Parliament, I look back with immense pride on the Education First Youth Foyer policy that I developed and the delivery of the first three Education First Youth Foyers in Broadmeadows, Glen Waverley and Shepparton. The work of the youth foyers is truly transformational and is good Liberal policy that helps young people build a better life by giving them a hand up rather than a handout. I recently had the great pleasure of visiting the Glen Waverley foyer and attending the 10-year anniversary of the Shepparton foyer. It was deeply rewarding to hear the success stories of young people who were homeless and disconnecting with education but have now gone on to finish their education. Through the foyer they managed to finish school, study further and find employment, and many have even gone on to buy their own homes. That is why it is so disappointing to see Labor show a lack of urgency in expanding this successful program. In February 2023 the government announced funding for two additional Education First Youth Foyers in Wodonga and Wangaratta. The Wodonga foyer opened in May 2025, but the Wangaratta foyer has not even started construction yet. Instead of transforming young lives in Wangaratta, the government has wasted 3½ years. It is time to get on with the job of completing the Wangaratta foyer as soon as possible. I have also repeatedly called for youth foyers in Bendigo and Mildura, but Labor has refused to make further investments while wasting millions of dollars on pot plants and coffee machines.