Why no driver impairment testing in Vic?
Mar 15, 2017
Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Police. Recent media hysteria and inflated figures have led to the illusion that thousands of Victorians are driving under the influence of drugs every day. Current testing regimes ignore the fact that the much larger problem is actually people misusing and driving under strong prescription pharmaceuticals rather than illegal ones. At present there is no limit set on the maximum tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) blood-level content for driving like the maximum we have set for alcohol. This is a serious problem and I believe one for which...
Will Gov upgrade disability parking?
Mar 9, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing. A statewide disabled persons parking scheme currently operates in Victoria. The permits are available for persons with an ambulatory disability, an acute or chronic illness in which minimal walking may endanger health, or a disability or illness requiring rest breaks when walking, as is the case with one of my constituents.
Some permit-holders need to park as close as possible. Others will need a larger bay allowing access for walkers or wheelchairs. Currently we only see one type of disability bay signpost in my region, with...
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Public Transport, represented by Minister Pulford. The government's compensation scheme for taxi licence owners as part of the broader ridesharing reforms has caused a great deal of angst and is directly linked to the $2 levy that the government proposes to introduce.
A significant part of the problem is the design of the scheme, with many taxi licence owners of the view that it does not take into account their personal circumstances. We know from freedom of information requests by Herald Sun journalists that, for example, only 9 per cent of licences...
Wheelchair access in taxi and limousine services
Feb 22, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Public Transport in the other place. I was approached by a wheelchair-bound constituent who is very supportive of having more operators with wheelchair access in the taxi and limousine services. She contacted me regarding London cabs, which I saw outside this morning. She used London cabs extensively while in London, but the taxis here do not meet the current Victorian standards by 1 centimetre in their ride height. Meeting this standard would enable them to qualify for the lifting fee. My constituent would love to see these 200 London taxis on...
Drug crime statistics
Feb 21, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Police, represented by Minister Tierney. On Friday I launched a campaign in Richmond to end the needle nightmare, where we are seeing thousands of used needles in streets, Richmond traders losing business, residents having to resuscitate people who have overdosed and, very sadly, 34 tragic deaths every year. It is having a devastating effect on parents, children and of course other family members. During the launch there were police down a laneway just off the car park picking up needles. There was also a dealer dealing openly in the car...
Why funding for ‘Project Respect’?
Feb 9, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Families and Children, Ms Mikakos. I have been contacted by a number of sex workers in my region and their sex worker organisations because they are greatly concerned about the $300 000 awarded to Project Respect to visit licensed brothels — where Project Respect is not welcome — to try to build relationships with family violence organisations. This is an organisation that believes that sex work itself is a form of violence and which calls for the outlawing of sex work in Victoria, promoting what is known as the Swedish model — a model...
Heroin-related Ambulance attendances
Feb 7, 2017
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to Minister Mikakos, representing the Minister for Ambulance Services. Reducing pressure on ambulance services and improving ambulance response times are stated priorities of the Andrews government. In October 2016 Turning Point released its report Ambo Project: Alcohol and Drug-Related Ambulance Attendances. The report shows that for the financial year 2013–14 there were 2155 heroin-related ambulance attendances in metropolitan Melbourne. That was a 13.8 per cent increase from the previous year, and it equates to nearly six heroin-related attendances every single day. The Ambulance Victoria website says:
… the average cost of an emergency transport is more than $1100 …
suggesting...
Gender equality
Nov 24, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Families and Children, representing the Minister for Women. Wicked Campers advertisements have been said to vilify and demean women and have been the subject of recent media attention, and it is stated that the government has been hamstrung in dealing with them, but I note that prior to the opposition's 2011 amendments that wound back the investigative and enforcement powers of the equal opportunity commissioner she could have taken action on this issue. The commission model is educative and balanced, involves no incursion on free speech, listens and learns...
Height restrictions in breach of ministers rules
Nov 24, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is also for the Minister for Planning. On Saturday it was announced that the minister had approved a 70-storey apartment tower at 383 La Trobe Street, Melbourne. This tower will be precisely double the height of its widely recognised and highly acclaimed neighbour the Republic building, which is in my view one of the very best of the city's residential towers. It will dwarf not only the Republic tower to its north but also the historic Mint building to its south, and it stands to spoil one of the city's best pockets of architecture. I...
Justification for children in adult prison
Nov 23, 2016
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Families and Children, Ms Mikakos. In December 2013 the Victorian Ombudsman reported on his investigation into children transferred from the youth justice system to the adult prison system. In that report he stated unequivocally:
I am of the view that there are no circumstances that justify the placement of a child in the adult prison system.
So on what basis does the government ignore the Ombudsman's considered recommendation in sending those 40 young offenders to Barwon?
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — Thank you, Minister, for that answer. I have to say that I think the...