Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Department of the Legislative Council

Report 2022–23

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (17:27): Last week we were all handed a report, and its title was the Parliament of Victoria Department of the Legislative Council annual report 2022–23. In it the Department of the Legislative Council outlined its strategic priorities and achievements over the 2022–23 period, which so happens to be the first time I have ever had anything to do with the Legislative Council. The Legislative Council is a vital part of Victoria’s democracy, and the department gives us, the members of the Parliament, the ability to do our job and make it as easy as possible.

There is a lot to talk about, so I will be quick. I want to thank the department staff for all their work. The newly elected members, like me, were inducted and prepared for our roles and responsibilities going into 2023. The ongoing support of our parliamentary staff has been integral to the efficient functioning of the Council this year and the work that we are doing on non-sitting weeks. I am on three committees, one as a voting member and two as a participating member. I sit as a member of the Economic and Infrastructure Standing Committee and see firsthand the incredible work the staff do. Michael Baker, the committee manager, is diligent and prompt with all of his responses, and then there are Ben Huf as inquiry officer, Caitlin Connally and Julie Barnes as research assistants and so many more. Sixty committee hearings, 10 reports, 18 public hearings and over 11,000 submissions were made in a year. That is very impressive.

There are other staff in this place, including the two Annes: Anne Sargent, who helps us fill out all the forms, and Annemarie Burt, the manager of chamber support, who helps my staff when I want to file things at the last minute. The Usher of the Black Rod Sally West every morning keeps us on track. Then there is Richard Willis, who is diligently serving the chamber, as well as Keir. Thank you for keeping me updated on the best practices of procedure when I am the Acting President. I also want to particularly thank Greg Mills, a long-serving parliamentary attendant. My staff greatly appreciate him bringing me documents in a rush, and also thank you to Peter Anastasiou, Jim Bowman, Philip Stoits and Chris Welstead, a great team. I apologise if I have left anybody out.

The Legislative Council has done exceptional work in facilitating public participation through multiple inquiries in 2022–23. I would like to note the efforts of the Environment and Planning Standing Committee secretariat in their submission-writing workshops at Seymour, Rochester and the Maribyrnong council through 2022–23. Thanks to the tireless work of the committee, we had received over 800 submissions at closing.

The Legislative Council is committed to reconciliation. Currently appropriate education is a focus, and I commend the work in this space, particularly with the Aboriginal change makers education resource, produced in partnership with the Aboriginal college. This was expanded as an engagement opportunity by our Parliament’s support of an excursion to Worawa Aboriginal College by students from Northcote High School who have been using this resource, undertaking a program by elder and resident Dr Lois Peeler to enrich their understanding of Koori political history. As a resource, it educates students about the incredible perseverance, activism and self-determination of the Koori community throughout history. This will ensure that our future generations hold the values and respect and tolerance for Indigenous Australians.

And then there is the Youth Parliament, who in partnership with my good friend the Minister for Youth in the other place, facilitated young people’s engagement with their democracy. The 37th Youth Parliament brought over 120 young people here from right across the state. They developed, passed and delivered 18 bills for consideration by the government. Parliament hosted the State of the Future youth forum in May with over 60 young Victorians delivering recommendations and advice on matters including housing, climate, mental health, inclusiveness and much more in front of and directly to over 20 MPs in attendance. The Parliament Prize, which I promoted in my community of Southern Metro, saw over 1000 students submit their 90-second members statement, and the winning entries were great, with a focus on workers’ rights, environmentalism, transport and infrastructure.

I commend the ongoing commitment and the integrity of the Integrity and Oversight Committee for ensuring the integrity and proper conduct of government. I commend the Council’s engagement with our Pacific partners. Keeping up the dialogue with our democratic friends and allies in an increasingly contested region is vital. I trust your work in Fiji, Nauru and Tuvalu was productive. I look forward to the next three years in this place and look forward to seeing what the people here achieve.