Thursday, 23 March 2023

Responses

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Medical Research) (17:33): I might begin by addressing the matter raised by the member for Shepparton, and I note that not only is she not in the house for my response to her question, she was not in Shepparton with me last week when I was there to open the emergency department at Goulburn Valley Health, a $229 million investment under our government. It was great to see that we have more than doubled the emergency department capacity, and of course to see that emergency department open was fantastic. This is on top of other parts of the upgrade, which include a five-storey inpatient tower, which features 10 ICU beds, 64 inpatient beds and four new operating theatres. A single-storey 16-chair dialysis unit, 12-bed maternity unit birthing suite and a new special care nursery and paediatric ward have also recently been delivered. Having said all of that, I am happy to follow up. I did in fact have this conversation with the CEO and the board chair of Goulburn Valley Health about their future priorities, as I do when I travel right around our state meeting with health service CEOs and board chairs.

As you would expect, there is always more to do. That is one thing our government absolutely acknowledges. This response tonight I suppose does give me that opportunity to talk a little bit about our $18.1 billion infrastructure program, which is seeing health services right across Victoria, including in the member for Shepparton’s electorate, being upgraded.

The member for Kew raised a matter for the attention of the Treasurer. The action that she is seeking is that the Treasurer provide her with advice on the way in which land tax is impacting both members of her own electorate and Victorians more broadly. The member for Bayswater has an action for the Minister for Environment. He is seeking that the Minister for Environment inform him of the next steps on the delivery of his much-loved dog park in Wantirna. The member for Gippsland South raised a matter for the Minister for Environment, and the action that he seeks is the funding and the speeding up of plans to replace the boardwalk at Sealers Cove, which was damaged by storms in 2021.

The member for Thomastown raised a matter for the Minister for Community Sport. She has asked the Minister for Community Sport to come and visit some community sports clubs in her electorate and to take the opportunity to see the results of the big investments that our government has made in the electorate of Thomastown. The member for Bellarine raised a matter for the Minister for Education. Specifically she would like the Minister for Education to come down and visit Clifton Springs Primary School and to inspect the works and the upgrade of that very important primary school in the member’s electorate. The member for Mornington also had a matter for the attention of the Minister for Community Sport. He is seeking that the minister commit to upgrades for various sporting facilities in his community.

I have missed a member. I am sorry, I better get back to the minister for Sandringham. The minister for Sandringham has requested –

A member: Member.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Sorry, it is Thursday.

Jess Wilson: He would be happy with that.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: He would be happy with that. The member for Sandringham has raised a matter for the attention of Premier requesting what I suspect might be a very short list of events to commemorate the inauguration of the King.

Jess Wilson: Coronation.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Coronation, thank you. I am a republican.

The member for Narre Warren South has requested an action from the Minister for Local Government, and the action he seeks is that the minister provide him with further information on the upgrade to, again, a very important resource in his local community, the Littlecroft Family and Community Centre, a centre which has received funding from our government under the Growing Suburbs Fund.

The member for Point Cook raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Education. I note that the member for Laverton is sitting with the member for Point Cook. He is seeking that the minister come and join him and presumably also the member for Laverton at Laverton P–12 College – which, by the way, is where I taught when I was a secondary teacher – to see the building upgrades at that school. The member took the opportunity to outline some of the other building upgrades and new schools that are being built in the fast-growing communities that are so well represented by the member for Point Cook and the member for Laverton.

I believe, Deputy Speaker, I have covered off the matters that have been variously raised this evening.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I believe you have. The house stands adjourned until our next sitting.

House adjourned 5:40 pm.