Thursday, 1 August 2024

Responses

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (17:38): Can I firstly thank the member for Mordialloc for his very kind invitation to attend with him onsite at the Monash Medical Centre and to provide him with an update on our government’s commitment to build a new seven-storey tower right there at that centre. This is in addition to the very many upgrades and redevelopments we have already seen under the Allan and Andrews governments at Monash: a brand new children’s hospital, a brand new emergency department, a recently opened mental health hub – all there at the Monash Medical Centre. Of course the work of that great public hospital is also complemented by Australia’s first ever heart hospital, also delivered by our government. This announcement of a more than $500,000 upgrade at Monash Medical Centre is part of our government’s $1.7 billion commitment that was made in the most recent budget to upgrading three of Melbourne’s busiest hospitals: the Austin, the Northern and of course the Monash Medical Centre. As the member rightly pointed out, there are many members, including the member for Clarinda, in this place who benefit from these substantial and significant investments that are being made at Monash, so it will be an absolute pleasure to be able to join the member for Mordialloc at the Monash Medical Centre.

The member for Lowan – who had the good grace to inform me that she would not be able to stay, as she had a train to catch – raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Agriculture, and specifically the action she is seeking is for the minister to provide guidance to local governments and indeed to banks regarding which specific areas of the state are currently impacted by green drought conditions. I am sure that the Minister for Agriculture will be able to assist the member in that way. The member for Clarinda raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. The member for Clarinda is seeking an update on our government’s investment to support the redevelopment of the Buddhist temple in Springvale. I am sure that the Minister for Multicultural Affairs would very happily provide you with that update, noting that the state government contributed some $250,000, which of course supports Melbourne’s but in particular Clarinda’s thriving Vietnamese community.

The member for Bulleen, who is no longer in the chamber and did not explain why, has raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. He is seeking some information pertaining to the North East Link. The member for Footscray has a matter for the attention of the Minister for Crime Prevention, and she is seeking that the minister join her at a traders meeting regarding some antisocial behaviour that is impacting on those traders. Can I say too to the member for Footscray that it was a real pleasure to be able to join the member at Footscray Market and to see what a thriving retail area they have in Footscray. The member for Berwick had a matter for the attention of the Premier. He tried to make it sound about as unattractive as he could by suggesting that the Premier might join him in driving around his electorate. However, seriously, the action the member for Berwick is seeking is that the Premier join him to consider some of his road infrastructure that he considers is not meeting the needs of his community.

The member for Prahran has raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Planning, and he is seeking that the minister rejects the proposal by Swinburne University to rezone the Windsor childcare centre. The member for Pascoe Vale has a matter for the attention of the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and he is seeking an update on the state government’s bus plan. The member for Kew has a matter for the attention of the Minister for Education, and she is seeking greater support and more security funding for Jewish schools in her electorate, but specifically she called out Mount Scopus college. The member for Glen Waverley had a matter for the attention of the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and essentially he was seeking a review of the speed limit on Gallaghers Road and the way it intersects with other roads in his electorate.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The house stands adjourned until Tuesday week.

House adjourned 5:44 pm.