I direct my adjournment to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. The action I seek is for her to provide me with an update on how the Victorian government is continuing to support Victorians who are paying more for power than they should.
Thank you very much, Acting Speaker, and it is lovely to see you in the Chair today. Like so many people here in this house today I stand to support the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Symbol Prohibition) Bill 2022, which will prohibit the intentional display of the Hakenkreuz, also known as the Nazi swastika, in a public place knowing that it supports Nazi ideology.
I thank the Member for Wendouree for her question and her advocacy on behalf of recreational fishers in her community.
The Andrews Labor Government is helping families get their kids into early childhood learning by creating more three-and four-year-old kindergarten places across Victoria. Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison today announced a $2.25 million Building Blocks capacity building stream grant for the City of Ballarat to create three kinder rooms at a brand new Alfredton (Ballymanus) Community Hub.
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, today joined with Deputy Mayor Cr Amy Johnson to announce that City of Ballarat was successful in their grant application to develop a new sensory friendly play zone at Ballarat’s Victoria Park Inclusive Play Space.
Ballarat will benefit from state-of-the-art hospital services as the massive hospital redevelopment starts to take shape. Minister for Health Martin Foley today unveiled a first look at the Ballarat Base Hospital’s new support services building and central energy plant which forms part of the second stage of the $541.6 million redevelopment.
The Andrews Labor Government is giving young lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) Victorians access to additional wellbeing support services located at safe spaces in western Victoria. Minister for Equality Martin Foley today met with young LGBTIQ+ Victorians who will benefit from $3.2 million in funding in the Victorian Budget 2022-23 to support the design and delivery of LGBTIQ+ safe space services.
A community-owned and led early learning centre embracing and embedding Aboriginal perspective into its service is now open to families living in Sebastopol, ensuring more local kindergarten places thanks to an Andrews Labor Government investment. Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle announced the new Yirram Burron centre open, supporting Ballarat’s growing Aboriginal community and combatting existing barriers the community has faced in getting equal access to early childhood education and care.
Casual and contract workers in Ballarat and Western Victoria are being encouraged to sign up to the Andrews Labor Government’s Sick Pay Guarantee before flu season takes hold – giving them a safety net if they become sick and miss work or need to care for a loved one. Minister for Workplace Safety Ingrid Stitt today visited Federation University to encourage more people to sign up to the Sick Pay Guarantee and to meet with casual workers who are already benefitting from the program.
The Andrews Labor Government is supporting family-owned agriculture manufacturing business Harwood Grains to create jobs and expand its oat dehulling facility in Ballarat. Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas today visited Harwood Grain’s Ballarat headquarters to announce funding through the Regional Jobs Fund, which is enabling the company to consolidate its facility into one site and invest in new production line equipment.
Thank you for sharing these stories about how Jobs Victoria is supporting your community.
Hello. I am going to bring the energy up a bit in this chamber and talk about what a great budget the Victorian budget is, because there is so much to celebrate in this budget. This is a great state budget for Ballarat, it is a great state budget for regional Victoria and it is a great state budget for all Victorians.
My question is for the Minister for Workplace Safety in the other place. Will the minister please advise how the Victorian sick pay guarantee pilot scheme for eligible casual and contract workers will benefit workers, businesses and families in my electorate of Wendouree?
I am very pleased to again speak on the Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Committee report on the inquiry into commonwealth support for Victoria. We considered various issues associated with the inadequacy of commonwealth support for Victoria, including but not limited to Victoria’s share of federal GST funding and the expiration of the no-worse-off GST guarantee.
I wish to congratulate PETstock on the opening of its 200th store in Ballarat, 31 years after opening the family’s first retail store on La Trobe Street, Delacombe. PETstock is a 100 per cent proudly Australian family owned and operated company founded in Ballarat by the Young family and built on humble beginnings in regional Victoria.
The Andrews Labor Government is supporting Ballarat to position itself as a must-visit craft and small batch drink destination with a new hub for distilling and brewing. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula today announced a $450,000 investment from the Labor Government’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund to create the new hub – which will be a tourism drawcard for the region while creating more jobs.
A major investment by one of the largest food manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand is creating a jobs boost in Ballarat, thanks to backing from the Andrews Labor Government. Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula today announced the Labor Government’s support for George Weston Foods’ new Mauri flour mill in Ballarat and production expansion across regional Victoria.
Sovereign Hill will soon boast new cultural and event spaces, generating jobs and attracting more visitors, thanks to a $6 million investment from the Andrews Labor Government. Minster for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula visited the historic Ballarat tourist attraction today to announce the upgrade, funded from the Labor Government’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund.