Thursday, 15 August 2024

 Pauline RICHARDS (Cranbourne) (17:19): (786) My adjournment matter is to the minister for Government Services, and the action I seek is that the minister joins me for a discussion about connectivity at an upcoming chai and chat. It will be terrific to join the community and celebrate the announcement of two new telecommunications towers for services for Clyde and Clyde North. We are very fortunate to have a partner in Canberra in the Albanese Labor government and a terrific Labor member for Holt, who has been working very hard to resolve this issue. It is no secret that the former Liberal–National government spent nine years neglecting, delaying and pushing away Victorian infrastructure, and yet those opposite sometimes seem to forget that telecommunications is in fact a federal government matter. Those opposite might well consider contacting the federal member for La Trobe to discuss what happened over the 10 years that the federal member had a seat at the ministerial table. It is a productive opportunity at a chai and chat to discuss what that means for telecommunications in the federal sphere but also to consider what happens when the Allan Labor government has a partner in Canberra. I very much look forward to the minister’s visit to Clyde and Clyde North and to discussing the importance of connectivity, especially for those who are trying to access their children’s school networks to stay connected and to be able to communicate with others.