Speeches

Ms Patten(Northern Metropolitan) — I rise to speak on the Rooming House Operators Bill 2015, which seeks to introduce a licensing scheme for rooming house operators in Victoria. I am very supportive of the notion of a licensing scheme. I think it is well overdue. Listening to the contributions to this debate from Ms Lovell and Mr Elasmar certainly…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I would like to speak just briefly on the Fines Reform and Infringements Acts Amendment Bill 2016. While infringement notices are certainly a way to let people deal with minor offences through a lower penalty without recording a conviction, the standardised approach that we have at the moment has led to a degree…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I am pleased to rise to speak on Ms Pennicuik’s motion, which is asking that the Procedure Committee inquire into whether there are alternatives to the daily Lord’s Prayer — the Christian Lord’s Prayer — whether there are other options, and look into what other parliaments and other government organisations are doing both here in…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I am very pleased to speak briefly on the Aboriginal Heritage Amendment Bill 2015. When I was considering the bill I could not help but think that in the brief time I have been in Parliament we have spoken and thought about Aboriginal people but never in a good way. It has always…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I am pleased to rise today to speak on the Children Legislation Amendment Bill 2016. As I understand it, the bill is making some technical amendments to some of the changes that were made in 2014 to the act and to address some of the unintended consequences of those changes. It also requires…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I too will be brief in making some comments on the Upholding Australian Values (Protecting Our Flags) Bill 2015. From the outset, somewhat surprisingly, I have to disagree with Mr Finn on this issue. I was nodding for some parts of Mr Finn’s contribution, but I do not support this bill. I believe that it…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I too rise to support Safe Schools Coalition Australia, a national coalition of organisations and schools working together with staff, students and families to create safe and inclusive school environments for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender-diverse students. I fully support the work of the coalition and am incredibly proud that…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I would like to add a small contribution to the debate on the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Amendment Bill 2015. As others have said, this bill will enable donor-conceived persons born as a result of pre-1988 treatment procedures, or their descendants, to obtain information regarding their donors from the Victorian Assisted…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I would like to make a few brief comments in regard to the Bail Amendment Bill 2015, which I will be supporting. Rather than go through the whole bill I just want to focus on the clauses that affect children in particular. By positively amending the bill to exempt children…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I rise today to also contribute to the debate on the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment Bill 2015. As previous speakers have mentioned, this bill creates a number of — well, I would say — so-called new offences. I think most of these offences already exist in the bill….

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I have a question about clause 1(a). In terms of remote access to electronic equipment — while I appreciate that is probably a lot less intrusive than physical access and physical searches — I am assuming this will lead to an increase in covert search warrants. It will be a…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I am very happy to rise to speak, probably albeit quite briefly, even though I have probably got the most time to speak if I choose to, on the Delivering Victorian Infrastructure (Port of Melbourne Lease Transaction) Bill 2015. With it being the last day of our first year of…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I am delighted to be speaking briefly on the Relationships Amendment Bill 2015. As previous speakers have mentioned, this is a small bill that effectively brings Victoria in line with the rest of Australia, and possibly not before time. I am pleased Ms Pennicuik’s diligent work in nearly eight years…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I am pleased to speak on Mr Purcell’s motion to give a reference to the Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee to consider the impact of lowering the probationary driving age in Victoria to 17 years. I am a member of the committee and I look forward to exploring…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I am very happy to get a chance to speak on the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2015. It has been a great privilege to listen to all of the other speakers whatever their views have been, and I do respect those views. I would just…

Petition, 24/11/15 Fiona Patten MLC (Northern Metropolitan): To the Legislative Council of Victoria – The petition of certain citizens of the state of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the tremendous injury to be caused to the Victorian community by the imposition of a rates capping and variation system on Victorian local…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I am very happy to be speaking on my old friend, the Victorian classification act and the new bill. The act is a piece of legislation I have spent decades talking about, writing about and campaigning on. In fact it was probably our first connection, Ms Symes, was it not?…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) tabled following statement in accordance with Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006: In accordance with section 28 of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, I make this statement of compatibility with respect to the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Safe Access) Bill 2015. In my opinion, the Public…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I move: That the bill be now read a second time. I rise today to speak to the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Safe Access) Bill 2015. The bill is designed to create safe access around premises offering reproductive health services, in order to protect and promote women’s reproductive health. It’s about medical…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I rise today to support marriage equality. While I recognise that this is a federal matter I want to put on the record that in 2015 we are still squabbling about whether two consenting adults can legally or formally recognise their union in Australia. It has been 14 years since…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I speak in support of the motion. In the few short months since my election to this place I did not imagine that I would be standing in this place in agreeance with Dr Carling Jenkins and Mr Finn, although I am probably not in total agreeance. But this goes…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I rise to speak in support of Ms Hartland’s motion to refer the matter of voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill people to the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) for inquiry, consideration and report. I have enjoyed listening to the speakers so far, and I am looking forward to hearing more. I went to…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I am very pleased to speak on the Summary Offences Amendment (Move-on Laws) Bill 2015. I will be supporting the bill, which repeals laws that are not only essentially discriminatory but also create greater social exclusion. In its few short years the Australian Sex Party has always fought for freedom of movement,…

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — I would like to speak briefly on this bill, the Education and Training Reform Amendment (Funding of Non Government Schools) Bill 2014. This bill provides a formula to ensure that nongovernment schools receive at least 25 per cent of recurrent education funding. It is at this point that I have a problem with…

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — President, I congratulate you on your re-election. It is a role I know you will continue to discharge with the fairness and professionalism you have shown in the past. I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we stand on today, the Kulin nation. I pay my respects to their…