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....

MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:27:52): My question is to the minister representing the Treasurer in this house, Mr Jennings. Cryptocurrency such as bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and TRON are now accepted as legitimate forms of assets and as payments for goods and services in Australia. Digital asset trading is now regulated and monitored by several bodies, including Australian Securities and Investments Commission, AUSTRAC, the Australian Taxation Office and through the Australian Digital Commerce Association. These digital assets, which use cryptography to secure their transaction, have become increasingly popular amongst the public, with billions of dollars transacted annually, while some of Australia’s...

  MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:54:31): My question today is for the Minister for Public Transport and concerns a substation due for construction in Pascoe Vale. Recently I was contacted by a constituent, Mr Nigel Lee, who brought to my attention that a Public Transport Victoria substation is planned to be built at 211 Reynard Street in Pascoe Vale. This site shares a common wall with a residential property. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency states that electromagnetic fields are safe from 5 to 10 metres, but as this Public Transport Victoria substation will share a common wall with residential...

  Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:05): My question is for the Minister for Health and regards e-cigarettes, or more properly called vaporisers. About one in eight cancer deaths in Australia can still be attributed to smoking, underlining the importance of cessation strategies to our health system. The UK medicines regulator has approved a brand of vaporisers as an aid to help people stop smoking, which can be prescribed on their PBS. At least 64 scientific studies now demonstrate that smoke-free products like vaporisers are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, or are an effective way to quit for good. These...

MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (15:51:17): My constituency question is for the Minister for Health and concerns the need for a transplant centre of excellence. I recently met with Gordon Jenkins. His wife is a lung transplant recipient—one of the many in Victoria due to the success of our transplant schemes here and the great work that our doctors do. He is absolutely immersed in making sure that she gets the best possible care. Every lung transplant patient will probably come into the health system between 20 and 80 times a year for clinic visits that range from the chronic to the...

  MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:35:24): My question is for the Minister for Corrections, represented in this house by Minister Symes. In Victoria about 54 per cent of prisoners reoffend and 45 per cent return to prison within two years, which is a staggering rate of reoffending. It is well understood that community safety is best protected by reducing reoffending; however, outmoded sanctions continue to be employed in our prison system that work directly against this goal. Solitary confinement of up to 22 hours per day, with little meaningful human contact or access to programs or activities, continues to be utilised in our jails...

  MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (17:58:55): My constituency question is for the Minister for Housing. A constituent of mine works in the homelessness sector and raises concerns in relation to the infestation of bed bugs at a number of low-cost accommodation premises in my electorate, including the Victoria Hotel in Victoria Street, North Melbourne. She explained that homeless clients are often funded for several nights of emergency accommodation at the Victoria Hotel by the government’s Housing Establishment Fund scheme. She stated that clients commonly report bed bugs at this hotel and advised that some have required hospital admission due to their severe reaction to...