Thursday, 6 March 2025

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (10:04): While the federal election is not far away, the next state election is not until November 2026. After a decade of Labor in government there are a lot of issues to fix. Crime rates are skyrocketing, bail laws need urgent reform and there are over 1000 vacancies in our police force. State debt is soaring – fast approaching $26 million every day in interest – and major government projects continue to blow out. Improved V/Line train services and bus routes are needed across Victoria, yet the government continues down the track of the Suburban Rail Loop gravy train. Regional roads are falling apart despite most fatalities occurring in regional areas. Hospital waiting lists are blowing out, and ambulance ramping has become the norm. School attendance is at record lows, and we have a significant teacher shortage, higher in regional areas. A survey by IBAC of public sector employees across 10 departments as well as 100 other major public sector agencies revealed concerns about corruption within the public sector. If you look at the recent by-elections, change is in the wind, and Victoria desperately needs it. A week is a long time in politics, and there are still over 80 weeks to go until the next state election.