Westgarth Primary School
Nov 14, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (14:19:21) — My question is to the Minister for Education, represented by Minister Tierney. In September 2015 a roof condition report for Westgarth Primary School was commissioned, and this was as a consequence of years of ongoing roof leaks throughout the school. These have been worsening. Most of the ceiling areas in the building have shown signs of water ingress, and they are stained and rotten. In fact there were actually dead vermin and live maggots falling out of the roof quite recently. Despite the education department receiving this report over two years ago, the roof is yet to...
Cycling Strategy
Nov 13, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is also for the Minister for Public Transport. My constituent also happens to be the very keen bike‑riding mayor of Banyule. His question to me was quite simple and my question to the minister is quite simple: where is Victoria’s cycling strategy, which has been promised but not yet published by this government, despite consultation occurring back in 2015?
ANSWER:
I thank the Member for Northern Metropolitan for her question, but advise that responsibility for Victoria's cycling strategy rests with the Honourable the Minister for Roads and Road safety. Questions regarding Victoria's cycling strategy should...
State Care Leavers
Nov 13, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Families and Children, and the action I am seeking is in relation to Victoria’s leaving care age for young people on custody or guardianship orders. Under current Victorian policy about 1800 young people have their custody or guardianship orders expire each year when they turn 18. The consequence of the current leaving care age is that many of these young people suffer poor outcomes and do not transition to adulthood very well at all. We know that the average leaving home age in Australia is 24. Yet for this vulnerable...
Gambling Regulation
Nov 3, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:33:09) — My question is for the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, who is represented in this house by Mr Dalidakis. Poker machine losses exceed $2.6 billion in Victoria each year, exacting a terrible toll on families and communities. Four hundred gambling-related suicides occur nationally every year. In our crossbench briefing on Monday we were advised that the reason underpinning a change to 20-year gaming machine licences being made now, despite existing licences not expiring until 2022, was that the pokie clubs need more borrowing certainty from banks to do renovations. Can the minister please explain why...
Blackouts and electricity supplies
Nov 1, 2017
MsPATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:00:11) — My question is for the Minister for Health, represented in this house by the Minister for Families and Children. In the heatwave of 2009, 361 mainly elderly residents died of heat stress during blackouts and brownouts. Fortunately since then we have had fewer hot spells and good electricity supply, but as we know, this may change this summer.
One benefit of our electricity smart meters is that they can isolate homes from blackouts and brownouts, and a 'do not disconnect' register currently exists for this purpose and is principally used for people on dialysis. So my question...
Track duplication from Gowrie to Upfield
Oct 20, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Public Transport represented by Mr Jennings, and it relates to the duplication of the Upfield railway line between Gowrie and Upfield stations. The state government's Level Crossing Removal Authority will commence work later this year to grade separate the existing Upfield railway as part of the Camp Road level crossing works. The proximity of these works to this section of line could facilitate significant cost and time savings over future duplication works were the opportunity taken now to extend a second track between Gowrie and Upfield at the same time....
Redmond Park retirement apartments
Oct 18, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing. My constituent, a resident of Redmond Park retirement apartments in Princes Hill, has contacted me in relation to an issue at that facility, but it also pertains to the retirement sector regulation more broadly. At the time of purchase in 2009 residents of Redmond Park were guaranteed six meals per week in the restaurant, a kiosk and a weekly doctor, plus other 5-star hotel-like facilities, as described in their brochures and promotional materials. Fast-forward to December 2011, and restaurant meals were down from six to...
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Trade and Investment and Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy. As you know, Minister, I have taken an interest in innovation and firmly believe that giving young and innovative companies the support they need now will drive innovation, productivity and prosperity into the future. To this end the concept of a $60 million government start-up fund is a very sound one. But on cursory scrutiny of LaunchVic I am concerned that it is missing the mark. Can the minister detail whether LaunchVic-funded accelerator programs are being measured to ensure...
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Education. My constituent, a primary school teacher from Melbourne's inner north, has contacted me to follow up on an issue raised in an Age article back in May 2016 titled 'White flight: race segregation in Melbourne state schools'. That article reported on unofficial racial segregation that was occurring in schools proximate to the commission flats. My constituent pointed to a 2015 report by the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis which confirmed that racial segregation in schools and its relationship with poverty was the most significant cause of education achievement gaps. He...
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Attorney-General, represented in this house by the Minister for Corrections. The marriage equality debate is unearthing degrees of prejudice that I think we had all hoped would not exist in 2017. In recognising this the federal government is ushering through new laws that would penalise those who intimidate or threaten based on sex, sexuality, gender identity, intersex status, religious convictions or views they hold about the survey. Under Victorian law it is unlawful under the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 to vilify a person or group of people on the basis...