Wednesday, 4 August 2021

Responses

Mr WYNNE (Richmond—Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing) (19:29): I thank the member for Mildura for her adjournment tonight. As I know, she has been a very strong advocate on these issues since coming into the Parliament. The government has raised concerns obviously about flood plain harvesting in the northern Murray-Darling Basin consistently over recent years. I know so many of my colleagues would be well aware of the national leadership role that has been played by my colleague the Minister for Water—I am simply acting in her—

Ms Britnell: You don’t like going home, do you?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! We will all get home faster if we do not have interjections.

Mr WYNNE: I assure you I love going home to my beautiful wife. She has completely thrown me now, Deputy Speaker. A funny old night here tonight, I have got to tell you.

We do not support unregulated, unmonitored and unmetered flood plain harvesting, and indeed as I have indicated, my colleague the member for Bellarine has raised this issue publicly with the basin ministerial council process, which of course is the Murray-Darling Basin group of both state and federal counterparts. She has also raised concerns, as the member for Mildura has, about foreign ownership of water entitlements and the transparency about that through the ACCC’s water markets inquiry. I have obviously heard the concerns of our stakeholders firsthand as the acting minister, and I have written to the New South Wales minister, Minister Pavey, with these concerns. Frankly, and the member for Mildura knows this, our farmers have done the heavy lifting to return water for the environment. We also have high levels of compliance and metering here in Victoria. We are without doubt the stand-out. We think there needs to be similar regulation, monitoring and compliance in New South Wales, and this obviously includes flood plain harvesting.

Can I indicate to the member for Mildura, as I indicated to the member for Shepparton yesterday, that we absolutely know that the New South Wales government has tried to legislate to regulate flood plain harvesting, but that failed in May this year. Following this, an upper house committee was established to inquire into flood plain harvesting in the state. I am cognisant that we have until 13 August to put our submission in, and I can inform the member for Mildura that our government will be making a submission consistent with our concerns—our long-held concerns—to the inquiry, and as I understand it the committee is due to report in November. I thank the member for her continued advocacy in relation to these really critical water issues that affect not only her particular electorate but of course right up and down the Murray and also up into New South Wales as well. So I thank her for her advocacy tonight, albeit remotely.

The member for Euroa raised a matter for the Minister for—

A member: She is not actually in the chamber, so—

Ms Britnell interjected.

Mr WYNNE: Oh, no, that is enough. The member indicated to me that she was not going to be available.

The member for Euroa raised a matter for the Minister for Industry Support and Recovery seeking further business support for small businesses in her electorate, and I will make sure the minister is aware of that.

The member for Wendouree raised a matter for the Minister for Education seeking that the minister visit Mount Rowan Secondary College, where a commitment of $3.5 million—

Ms Addison: On top of the $12 million.

Mr WYNNE: I am coming to that—on top of the $12 million, a wonderful commitment by the government to her electorate, and I am sure the minister would be delighted to visit Mount Rowan Secondary College.

The member for Ripon raised a matter in relation to—

Mr Fowles interjected.

Mr WYNNE: Will—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Minister, through the Chair.

Mr WYNNE: The member for Ripon raised a matter for the Premier in relation to provision of car parking spaces in Ballarat. I would advise the member for Ripon—

A member interjected.

Mr WYNNE: Oh, come on. That is enough. Come on. Let us get through this so we can all get home.

The member for Ripon raised a matter for the Premier in relation to the provision of car parking spaces in the Ballarat CBD. I do note that this is a Regional Development Victoria project and one that will be delivered by Regional Development Victoria, but nonetheless I will make sure the Premier is aware of the keen interest that the member for Ripon has in car parks—most extraordinary.

The member for Nepean raised a matter for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change seeking further support from the minister in relation to the aspirations of his electorate to essentially have 100 per cent renewables within the electorate. It is a magnificent target and one that I know will be strongly supported by the minister. No doubt she will be keen to come and talk to his community about that.

The member for South-West Coast raised a matter for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change in relation to Parks Victoria seeking an update in relation to a very tragic circumstance, which I understand to be a motorcyclist who has passed. That incident related to barriers, as I understand it. I will make sure that that tragic matter is brought to the attention of the minister for environment.

The member for Narre Warren South raised a matter for the Minister for Community Sport seeking the minister to visit the electorate, particularly to look at the upgrade work that has been done at the Hampton Park Tennis Club—new lighting facilities and so forth—which was a fantastic commitment. I will make sure that the minister is aware of that request.

We have dealt with the member for Mildura, and we thank her for coming on tonight.

The member for Polwarth raised a matter for the Minister for Health seeking further support for rural hospitals to be better equipped for COVID testing, particularly as it relates to people who are involved in critical transport interchange with interstate freight—a very important issue.

The member for Burwood raised a matter for the Minister for Women seeking that the minister meet with constituents in his electorate to discuss barriers to workplace participation for women. I will make sure that matter is brought to the attention of the minister.

And the member for Northcote, finally, raised a matter for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety seeking that the minister come and visit her electorate, to the north of mine, to really understand some of the critical traffic management issues on some of the major arterial roads through her electorate, which are difficult and complex. No doubt the minister will make time to visit. That is the adjournment. Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. That is it.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Minister. The house now stands adjourned.

House adjourned 7.38 pm.