End-of-life choices
Nov 8, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Health represented by Minister Mikakos. It is becoming clear that the tragic death of an elderly couple in Rosebud last Wednesday was a murder-suicide. While investigations by Victoria Police continue, what we do know is that both the victims, who were in their 80s, had been battling long-term serious illnesses and were dealing with constant pain and suffering. If this government needed any more convincing that we urgently need to put in place laws to give Victorians the right to a peaceful and gentle death, then this is it. The...
Desperate need of short-term accommodation
Nov 8, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is directed to the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing, Mr Foley. Recently I held a roundtable discussion to gauge the views of organisations providing services to Victorians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It included representatives of Melbourne City Mission, Salvation Army, Launch Housing and the Women's Property Initiatives. That discussion recognised that homelessness is not a standalone issue, with mental health and substance abuse being serious drivers and continuing concerns. We know that effective treatment plans start with accommodation. Melbourne is in desperate need of short-term accommodation facilities, so much so...
Corkman Irish Pub, Carlton
Oct 26, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Planning, represented here by Minister Dalidakis. Carlton's Corkman Irish Pub has stood proudly on the corner of Leicester and Pelham streets in Carlton for 159 years. The building was recently sold to developers for $4.76 million, who then saw fit to tear the historic and much-loved building down on 15 October without any approval — a move that spewed asbestos across the site and put public health at risk. Without heritage restrictions on the site, it has now doubled in value since its demolition. With a pathetic fine of just $380 000 now in the offing...
Carlton heritage property
Oct 26, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Planning, represented here by Minister Dalidakis. Carlton's Corkman Irish Pub has stood proudly on the corner of Leicester and Pelham streets in Carlton for 159 years. The building was recently sold to developers for $4.76 million, who then saw fit to tear the historic and much-loved building down on 15 October without any approval — a move that spewed asbestos across the site and put public health at risk. Without heritage restrictions on the site, it has now doubled in value since its demolition. With a pathetic fine of just $380 000 now in the...
When will we see pill testing?
Oct 25, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Police. In September of this year respected drug law reform academic Associate Professor David Caldicott was invited to address the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency. He was to brief them on the science of pill testing. It seems that, however, on direct instruction from the Victorian police commissioner's office, our state's officers were specifically told not to attend. With the tragic death of Victorian footballer Riki Stephens and the hospitalisation of 16 young people recently on the Gold Coast from a bad batch of an MDMA variant, you would think...
Grand Final Friday
Oct 11, 2016
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan):
My question is for the Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) found just 12 per cent of the businesses that opened on the grand final holiday turned a profit. The Australian Industry Group (AIG) estimates the cost to Victorian businesses in lost production and wages was almost a billion dollars. South Australia, the ACT, Queensland and New South Wales all had public holidays on the Monday after the grand final, which is vastly preferable for businesses, particularly in hospitality. If you look at the businesses that deal with interstate custom,...
Women’s Participation in Sport
Sep 24, 2016
Ms Patten (Northern Metro):
My question is to the Minister for Sport represented by *Minister Deladakis.
In the past few weeks we have seen how successful women in football can be. The public have voted with their feet attending games and watching matches in record numbers on television ahead of the commencement of the AFL National Women’s League next year.
In my region of Northern Metropolitan Region I have some of the highest numbers of women’s participation in sport in the country – which shouldn’t surprise anyone given I have 5 AFL major teams in my electorate – Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond, Melbourne and...
Taxi financial figures don’t add up
Sep 15, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Public Transport, represented by Minister Pulford. Having finally moved to regulate services like Uber following the robust debate on the Australian Sex Party's rideshare bill a few months ago, the government seems to want to punish both taxi passengers and rideshare passengers with a $2 per trip fare as part of its compensation fund. David Samuel from the Victorian Taxi Association has called it the biggest single fare increase in a long time, and Uber has come out against it as well. This revenue-raising exercise, to run from 2018 for...
Brunswick Temple Brewing Company
Aug 30, 2016
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan): Two weeks ago I visited the Brunswick Temple Brewing Company, an excellent establishment with great food and delicious beers. The brewery is energy efficient, reclaims wastewater from the brewing process and sends organic waste to farms. I was really impressed with owner Nicholas Pang's dedication and commitment to his craft.
The microbrewers of Victoria and northern metro are a growing and popular small business sector with locals and tourists alike, but they are being done over by an unfair tax and tariff. They pay far more tax and have a far lower tax threshold than any other business making...
Sex Education
Aug 17, 2016
Fiona Patten MLC (Northern Metropolitan): My question is to the Minister for Education, represented in this place by Minister Herbert. Between Brighton Grammar's 'slut of the month' account, a so-called pornography ring at Melbourne Grammar and now another at St Michaels Grammar, a pattern is emerging in Victorian schools. These incidents reveal a lack of understanding of consent and privacy by students. Young people receive the bulk of their sexual education through online material these days, and that is frequently age inappropriate and not contextualised within a broader conversation around sexual safety. Age-appropriate material is crucial in ensuring young people are learning about...