Thursday, 27 August 2026

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:20): (1449) My question is to the Minister for Environment. A DEECA-commissioned Arthur Rylah Institute report back in May 2025 advised that vaccinating little penguins only after H5N1 virus was detected would likely be too late to prevent substantial losses. Why did the government choose not to act decisively on expert advice recommending vaccination before the arrival of the virus in the Phillip Island and St Kilda little penguin colonies? Why did you not act decisively when you had the information a year ago?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:21): Thank you, Ms Bath, for your question. I reject the premise of your question because we have taken decisive action. The vaccination approval process through federal agencies came through literally days before we announced the –

Melina Bath: Did the government not advocate?

Jaclyn SYMES: I have got a letter I could show you that I sent.

Members interjecting.

Jaclyn SYMES: Okay. Ms Bath, I know that you are wanting to blame me for not acting quickly enough. You are wrong. The minute I had taken over from the previous minister, the day I came into the office –

Members interjecting.

Sonja Terpstra: On a point of order, President, the constant stream of interjections coming from those opposite is unruly, and I would ask that you call the house to order and that the minister be allowed to finish her contribution in silence.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold the point of order. Interjections are unruly.

Jaclyn SYMES: Ms Bath, upon commencing in the role I took over from Minister Erdogan, who had been having conversations at the federal level, I came in and had a briefing straightaway. Some of the –

Members interjecting.

Jaclyn SYMES: Ms Bath, are you interested in the truth here?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Mr McGowan, you are due for an early lunch, the way you are going. Do you want to go?

Nick McGowan interjected.

The PRESIDENT: All right, leave the chamber for half an hour.

Nick McGowan withdrew from chamber.

Jaclyn SYMES: Ms Bath, the vaccination approval came through on the Sunday, and we started the program on the Monday. There was no ability to start a vaccination program in an unauthorised environment under me –

Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, the Arthur Rylah Institute in May 2025 – that was actually three ministers ago. I actually said ‘the government’, not you personally, Minister. Why didn’t the government act to prevent this?

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister has been relevant to the question.

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:23): The Arthur Rylah Institute did warn in May 2025 that vaccination after detection would likely be too late, and you have said just now that vaccinations did not commence until 17 August. Minister, how is it that, consistent with expert advice provided to your department, you have not acted until now?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:24): Ms Bath, I answered your question. To suggest that we did not act as quickly as possible is false. We were training and preparing in anticipation, in advance of actually having formal approval. That is how prepared we were. We had to wait for the approval to administer a vaccine to the penguins. This was a federal body; we had been advocating. I can show you the letters that I wrote.

Melina Bath interjected.

Jaclyn SYMES: Ms Bath, it is phenomenal that you are not accepting the answer that I have given. I have done my best.