Tuesday, 1 April 2025

Wendouree electorate ministerial visit

Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (19:03): (1092) My adjournment is for the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and the action that I seek is for him to see firsthand the work being done to protect consumers by local community organisations as well as meet with relevant stakeholders in his portfolio areas of consumer affairs and local government. I believe that it would be worthwhile for the minister to visit our GovHub in Mair Street to meet with the Consumer Affairs Victoria employees working in the call centre and experience firsthand the important work that they are doing. Consumer Affairs Victoria employees directly engage with the public, answering questions about law and supporting resolution of issues where possible. Consumer Affairs Victoria also provides specific phone services for specialist or priority issues.

It would also be beneficial for the minister to meet with CAFS – Child and Family Services – in Ballarat, which provides important services for locals experiencing financial hardship. CAFS was successful in obtaining funding under the government’s recent financial counselling funding round. The grant is enabling CAFS to create an innovative financial wellness hub for people living within the central highlands and beyond, increasing access to support services and building financial independence and capability with an integrated service approach. This meeting would provide an opportunity for the minister to learn more about how CAFS will assist my community with increased access to support when experiencing financial hardship where rental or mortgage stress is a factor. Significantly the hub will also be available to neighbouring areas across the western region via the online hub, comprising a further 90,000 people.

I would also like the minister, in his capacity as Minister for Local Government, to meet with representatives from the City of Ballarat. My electorate of Wendouree falls entirely in the City of Ballarat local government area, and it is an important partner to the Victorian government in the delivery of community infrastructure projects, including lake lighting, the construction of new kindergarten rooms in Alfredton and Sebastopol, upgrades to recreational facilities across Ballarat, the bike path to Delacombe and the provision of community services. I look forward to welcoming the minister to Wendouree and having meaningful engagements with key stakeholders in my community.