Providing Tenants Greater Housing Security
Dec 10, 2015
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is to the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing. With over 1 million Victorians renting, the housing market is highly competitive and very volatile. Given the proximity to the CBD and universities, Northern Metropolitan Region is a very desirable area, particularly for students and low-income earners. They make up a large proportion of the rental market, and obviously their housing security can be easily compromised. There are many mechanisms for landlords to evict tenants for a range of reasons or to refuse an ongoing lease, and I have been notified of a...
Pill Testing and Drug Harm Reduction
Dec 8, 2015
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Training and Skills, representing the Minister for Police. A number of states held Stereosonic festivals over the weekend and the past few weeks, and with them came substance use. As we saw in the Age, there were reports of six suspected overdoses in Melbourne last weekend, including by one man who is still in a serious condition. There have been some deaths at these festivals around the country. Pill testing is a harm reduction intervention available in countries including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain and France....
Cannabis Possession Charges
Dec 8, 2015
MS PATTEN — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Police): How many people have been charged with cannabis possession in the first three quarters (January-March, April-June, July-September) of 2015.
ANSWER:
I am advised that:
I am advised that the information to 30 June 2015 is available on request from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA. The data may be requested by completing a Data Request Form on the CSA's website; or by contacting the CSA at info@crimestatistics.vic.au.
Note that the quarterly release of information for the year ending 30 September 2015 will be on 17 December 2015.
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MS PATTEN — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Police): Of the 218 people who allegedly returned a positive result for drugs over the recent grand final long weekend how many were found to have prescription drugs in their system.
ANSWER:
I am advised that:
The Government is aware of the serious risks imposed by drug impaired drivers, and is committed to preventing dangerous and irresponsible behaviour on our roads. Victoria Police plays a crucial role by enforcing the road rules through finely balancing routine patrols, booze buses and special operations targeting high risk areas, or times...
Drug Testing AFL Grand Final – Methamphetamine
Dec 8, 2015
MS PATTEN — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Police): Of the 218 people who allegedly returned a positive result for drugs over the recent grand final long weekend how many were found to have methamphetamine in their system.
ANSWER:
I am advised that:
The Government is aware of the serious risks imposed by drug impaired drivers, and is committed to preventing dangerous and irresponsible behaviour on our roads. Victoria Police plays a crucial role by enforcing the road rules through finely balancing routine patrols, booze buses and special operations targeting high risk areas, or times of...
Drug Testing AFL Grand Final
Dec 8, 2015
MS PATTEN — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Police): Of the 218 people who allegedly returned a positive result for drugs over the recent grand final long weekend how many were found to have cannabis in their system.
ANSWER:
I am advised that:
The Government is aware of the serious risks imposed by drug impaired drivers, and is committed to preventing dangerous and irresponsible behaviour on our roads. Victoria Police plays a crucial role by enforcing the road rules through finely balancing routine patrols, booze buses and special operations targeting high risk areas, or times of...
Extension of 86 Tramline
Nov 26, 2015
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is for the Minister for Public Transport and comes via the Friends of South Morang group. This group has been advocating for an extension of tram route 86 from Bundoora to South Morang railway station through Mill Park Lakes and back onto Plenty Road for some years, but without success to date. Planning provisions for the light rail to extend to South Morang and beyond into residential areas have been made by the council — the tramline would link RMIT Bundoora with South Morang railway station and the bus interchange, completing the...
Medicinal Cannabis
Nov 24, 2015
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Leader of the Government, Mr Jennings. In 2014 Labor claimed it would have legislation before Parliament before the end of 2015 that allowed for the legalisation and regulation of medicinal marijuana. Premier Daniel Andrews claimed the current laws were outdated. As of today, the health.vic website states:
The Victorian government will introduce legislation before the end of 2015 to enable access to locally manufactured medicinal cannabis products for a limited and select group of patients.
My question is: where is the legislation required to fulfill this commitment?
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — I...
Special Religious Instruction
Nov 12, 2015
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question today is to the Minister for Training and Skills who represents the Minister for Education. I recently received an email from a parent concerned that her son may be exposed to special religious instruction (SRI) whilst he is in enrolled in child care. As many people would understand, childcare places in Victoria are limited and there is almost no capacity to move a child from one childcare centre to the next once they have secured a place; they are as rare as hen's teeth in some areas. I applaud the Victorian government for...
Melbourne Metro Rail Project
Oct 21, 2015
My question is to the Leader of the Government.
With the announcement of the new Melbourne Metro rail project and that it will need to acquire over 40 sites to deliver the scheme in my electorate of Northern Metropolitan Region, many residents and businesses are rightly worried about this new project and how it will affect them.
I understand that 15 businesses in the Port Phillip Arcade, which connects Flinders Lane with Flinders Street, have been told by Melbourne Metro officials that their businesses will have to go as part of the project. These businesses, in many cases, have spent over 30...