Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:21): My question is to the Minster for Small Business. The level crossing in Reservoir—High Street and Spring Street and Broadway and Cheddar Road— is currently under construction. It started in late November 2018, and I do agree: I am very pleased to see it finally happening. But Reservoir traders were told by the Level Crossing Removal Project team that their businesses would only be affected in short three- and four-day slots. However, four weeks ago that changed and High Street traffic was completely blocked from the Broadway and Edwardes Street shopping strips and will be blocked until Christmas....

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (13:04:35): My question is to the Minister for Roads and Minister for Road Safety and the TAC. Recently I met with a group of concerned traders called Revitalise Nicholson Street. They are a passionate group from local businesses who are attempting to ensure that the popular and bustling Nicholson Street in Carlton North keeps innovating and upgrading to ensure the future success of all traders. One of their main concerns is that there is a 60-kilometre-per-hour speed limit in the area of Nicholson Street between Scotchmer and Park streets. It seems out of step with other 40-kilometre-per-hour precincts in the...

  Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:56): My question is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. I have been meeting with community as well as the team from the Level Crossing Removal Project in relation to the designs for the upgrades to the Upfield line. Of specific interest to the community is the area around the Gandolfo Gardens. I had been told that extensive community consultation would take place before the release of the plans around the gardens. This seems to have not taken place, and I was quite surprised to see plans in the Age yesterday. It showed that trees would have to be...

  Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:27): My question is for the Minister for Health. Minister, the music festival season starts in just a few weeks and the Andrews Labor government still has not agreed to a pill testing trial, an initiative that we know can contribute to keeping young people safe. We saw overdose statistics come out just today that say that overdoses now cause more deaths than road accidents. My question to the minister is: how many dead young people will it take for the minister to recommend a pill testing trial at major festivals? One? Three? Ten? How many?   Ms MIKAKOS...

  Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:16): My question is for the Minister for Agriculture and follows on a little bit from my good colleague Mr Quilty. The Victorian government has been growing cannabis since 2016, and it has also licensed the Cann Group to provide flower and resin to it also. Given the relatively quick growth cycle of this plant, this means that there is quite a stash somewhere. I do not know where, but what I do know is that Ava, a young girl with epilepsy, is left desperate, and if her parents are to provide the life-saving medical cannabis it will...

  Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:52:41): My constituency question is for the Minister for Health. My constituent has been diagnosed with chronic pain disorder, which for her evolved out of severe endometriosis, which required a number of surgeries. Despite having a successful career, she suffers silently with daily pain as well as severe and debilitating attacks. She is not alone. One in five Victorians are affected by chronic pain. Nationally 3.24 million Australians live with chronic pain, resulting in $73.2 billion annually in lost productivity. Despite its prevalence, my constituent continues to feel stigmatised, particularly by those in the medical profession. Interactions with medical professionals...

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:03): My question is for the Minister for Local Government. Unlike other local governments in Victoria, Melbourne City Council automatically requires businesses to vote in council elections. Not only that, corporations operating in Melbourne city are allocated two votes in the poll. When a company does not appoint its own representatives the council automatically enrols company office-bearers, and many of those companies are offshore. This means that scores of overseas companies are literally casting the deciding votes on Melbourne City Council elections. What steps is the minister taking to ensure that Melbourne City Council elections are operated...

  MS PATTEN: My question is for the Minister for the Environment. Recently there was a major landslip on the Yarra River bank close by the Glenvill residential development of the old Amcor paper mill site at Alphington. Two large gum trees have fallen into the river, and I am lead to believe that there are several others at risk. These are important habitats for local wildlife. Residents believe water flows and seepage have changed since the development began and speak of a lack of urgency by both Glenvill and government officials in investigating what is clearly a major environmental problem at this massive site. My...

  MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (14:22:48): My question is for the Minister for Roads and concerns promises made by VicRoads for traffic improvements in the Brunswick district. I recently met with cycling and pedestrian advocate—and, I may add, part-time archaeologist—Nic Dolby. He has lobbied extensively in regard to issues facing both pedestrians and cyclists in Brunswick and surrounding suburbs, matters that now fall squarely within the new super Department of Transport. There is concern amongst the local population that traffic is soaring without enough being done to maintain livability and safety for both cyclists and pedestrians. A number of pedestrian crossings and traffic...

  MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (13:58:02): My question is for the Minister for Health. At a recent voluntary assisted dying information session the chair of the government’s implementation taskforce stated that two GPs could not complete the certification process as one of them must be a 'specialist in the terminal disease under consideration’. That advice is not in fact what the act says. It says that at least one of the two doctors must have relevant experience and expertise in the particular terminal illness—not that they must be a specialist. A GP can have relevant experience and expertise in some conditions....