I too would like to speak in support of the Early Childhood Legislation Amendment Bill 2022, which introduces stronger regulations for early childhood services and safeguards for the quality of maternal and child health services. I will be focusing on our stronger regulations for early childhood services during this debate and the importance of this bill passing in 2022.

On Saturday, 27 August, I had the great pleasure of attending the Ballarat Keralites Foundation of Australia’s annual Onam festival with Labor candidate for Ripon Martha Haylett and more than 250 members. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone for making us feel so welcome and thank the BKFA for their good work in our community.

I too am very proud to rise to speak in support of the Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences and Other Matters) Bill 2022, and I agree with the member for Footscray that this is a historic day for our Parliament. I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak on this, and I am honoured to follow so many incredible women who I admire so much.

My constituency question is for the Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep regarding the introduction of 30 hours per week of fully funded universal pre-prep for all Victorian children from 2025. How will this transformation of Victoria’s early education system benefit parents, carers and children in Ballarat?

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy in the other place. I would like to invite the minister to visit my electorate of Wendouree and the great city of Ballarat to discuss with members of my community how we may be involved to maximise the benefits and legacy that hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games will bring to Ballarat and regional Victoria.

Congratulations to Ballarat’s extraordinary and impressive young people who were nominated for and won awards at the City of Ballarat Youth Awards 2022. The achievements of almost 100 young people aged between 12 and 25 were recognised by the City of Ballarat through the nomination process.

My question is for the Minister for Housing, and I wish to congratulate him on the new portfolio. Will the minister please update me on the progress of the Big Housing Build and the projects currently underway in my electorate of Wendouree and explain how this investment will benefit my local community.

I am very pleased to rise in support of the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Amendment Bill 2022, which will further reinforce and improve the highly successful Victorian energy upgrades (VEU) program.

Well done to the talented cast and crew of Ballarat High School’s production of Frozen. I was delighted to attend last Friday night. It was a magical performance that thrilled the audience as we were taken on a musical adventure with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf.

Last night it was wonderful to host Lions Club members at Parliament to celebrate 20 years of the Lions Club of State Parliament in Victoria and raise funds to support the Lions V Districts Cancer Foundation.

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Energy and Minister for Environment and Climate Action, and it is about the Victorian government’s $250 power saving bonus, which opened to every eligible Victorian household from 1 July. The action that I seek is for the minister to provide me with an update on how many households in the Wendouree electorate have applied for and benefited from the $250 power saving bonus.

Thank you to the Member for Wendouree for her question regarding The Orange Door Network in Central Highlands, and for her continued advocacy for victim survivors of family violence in her local community.

As part of the Victorian Budget 2022/23, the Andrews Labor Government will invest $250 million in a new $250 Power Saving Bonus from 1 July 2022, driving down the cost of living right across the state. Through the new program, all Victorian Households are eligible to receive a once-off payment of $250 to ease the cost-of-living pressures.

The Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee pilot scheme will transform casual and contract work in Victoria, by providing eligible workers with the safety net they need to take time off when they are sick or need to care for loved ones.

With Ballarat officially announced as one of four regional hubs for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Andrews Labor Government is getting on with plans to deliver this global sporting event.

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers. I ask the minister to provide an update on how the establishment of a Foodbank hub in Ballarat will address the issue of food insecurity in my electorate of Wendouree and the broader community.

I am honoured today to speak in support of the Treaty Authority and Other Treaty Elements Bill 2022 and to be one of the very last speakers on this very historic day. I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which the Parliament is built, the Wurundjeri people, pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and extend those respects to the Aboriginal people who are here with us today and those who were with us earlier.

My constituency question is for the Minister for Health. Will the minister please advise how the $6.5 million investment for robot-assisted surgery to be delivered at Grampians Health services’ Ballarat Base Hospital will improve outcomes and reduce recovery times for regional patients?