Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for Mr Herbert, representing the Minister for Police. The Premier, Daniel Andrews, said that yesterday was one of the proudest days of his political career as he was able to take on board the recommendations of the Victorian Law Reform Commission report into medicinal cannabis and announce that Victoria would move to legalise medicinal cannabis for people suffering a range of serious illnesses. Only months ago I asked the government to stop pursuing criminal convictions against those using or possessing cannabis for medicinal purposes while the Victorian Law Reform Commission was considering...

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Families and Children, representing the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing. The Australian Sex Party has previously called on governments at all levels to do more to ensure that employment opportunities are provided to those in our community who find it hardest to secure work for a range of reasons. People with a disability and older Australians who may suffer from diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia are often overlooked by the business sector even though they are able to contribute to our society in a meaningful way. I...

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Honourable Gavin Jennings, representing the Treasurer. Religious institutions in Victoria receive a number of exemptions to payment of taxes and rates that are not enjoyed by other organisations. These exemptions are included within the Stamps Act 1958, the Financial Institutions Duty Act 1982, the Debits Tax Act 1990, the Payroll Tax Act 2007 and the Land Tax Act 2005. How much did exemptions on religious institutions' investment earnings, land tax, capital gains tax on the sale of assets and rate payments cost Victoria in the 2013–14 year? I look forward to...

Ms Patten (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Public Transport. The Broadmeadows train station has required urgent works for some years. The previous government cancelled the planned upgrade in what many saw as a desperate attempt to satisfy former MP Geoff Shaw by diverting the funds to Frankston instead. At the time the now Premier described the backflip as a slap in the face for families living in the state's key growth areas, and local MP Frank McGuire, the member for Broadmeadows in the Assembly, called it a 'reverse Robin Hood'. Now in...

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is for the Minister for Health. Last week it was really great to read that the Victoria Street Business Association had finally declared its support for safe injecting facilities. Since our inception the Australian Sex Party has been advocating for the implementation of such facilities, especially in Richmond, based on the evidence that they are an incredibly effective and proven harm reduction measure. We have seen increased law enforcement, and turning a blind eye to the issue has led to nothing except for drug-related harm and deaths in the area as well as dangers not...

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Education, Mr Herbert. The Fairness in Religions in School (FIRIS) organisation has been lobbying to reduce the influence of evangelical elements getting access to government primary schools via the special religious instruction (SRI) program — organisations such as ACCESS ministries. FIRIS has used freedom of information to get education department statistics on the number of schools providing SRI in Victoria and the number of children doing SRI within those schools. The organisation asked for the 2013 and 2014 data via an FOl request and was provided with data in...

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to Mr Herbert, the minister who represents the Attorney-General in this chamber. Each and every day across Victoria women are constantly harassed, threatened and intimated at fertility clinics by very misguided individuals as they legally access a termination procedure. Staff are also threatened, sometimes really seriously. Given that the government is currently moving to abolish the move-on law, something which the Sex Party will support, will the minister explain what steps the government will take to protect women and their families from the harassment and violence that continues at these centres, and will it support the...