Tuesday, 8 September 2026

 Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (23:53): (2780) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Youth. Our government knows that setting young Victorians up for the future means investing in the services they rely on locally. We are delivering free TAFE pathways and free public transport for under-18s and rolling out free kinder to ease the pressures on working families. But physical accessible spaces for young people to gather, play and find support are just as vital. That is exactly why the Brunswick community is currently passionately advocating for the Don Bosco youth centre and hostel on Sydney Road.

Recently, alongside the member for Pascoe Vale, I sat down with Sarah and the passionate community advocates from the Save Don Bosco group. They have already rallied over 6000 signatures to protect a site that has served the inner north since 1939. It is not just a piece of real estate. Originally built on land generously donated by the local Danelli family, it has provided generations of young people with a safe, supervised place to go after school. Beyond the recreation hall and the iconic trampolines, the youth hostel provides secure, affordable accommodation for those that need a roof over their heads while completing their studies or trade apprenticeships.

I want to be unequivocally clear on one point: the Salesians must atone for past wrongs, and victim-survivors of institutional child sexual abuse absolutely must receive the full redress and compensation they are owed and entitled to. That is non-negotiable. Local families are asking why this specific asset, built on local generosity and decades of community contributions, is being rushed to market through a limited expression-of-interest process. Brunswick residents should not have to pay the price and lose an irreplaceable youth facility when alternative assets could clearly be explored. As the Sydney Road corridor continues to grow and densify, we need to preserve recreational spaces for our young people to thrive, not sell them off. The action I seek is for the minister to provide an update on the investments, programs and resources our Carroll Labor government is delivering to support young people across Brunswick in the Northern Metropolitan Region.