Archive for February, 2012
BAILLIEU FAILS PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMMUTERS
Posted on 29. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Today’s release of the Victorian Auditor General’s report into Public Transport Performance has slammed the Baillieu Liberal National Government for failing to invest in public transport, Shadow Minister for Public Transport Fiona Richardson said. Ms Richardson said the report noted “future challenges are significant” and that “capital expenditure on public transport will need to triple [...]
Continue Reading
NO MORE REVIEWS: THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW
Posted on 29. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Shadow Minister for Manufacturing, Adem Somyurek MP, has today called on the Baillieu Government to stop spending money on more reviews and inquiries and instead concentrate on using that money to reinstate the 32 manufacturing support programs that were in place under the previous Labor State government. “We had a comprehensive Parliamentary Committee Inquiry [...]
Continue Reading
CUTTING BACK LOCAL CONTENT WILL HURT INDUSTRY
Posted on 29. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Reports that the Baillieu Government is set to further slash support for industry will send a shiver down the spine of all Victorians who depend on a strong manufacturing sector for jobs and security, Shadow Minister for Industry Tim Holding said today. The Australian Financial Review reveals that the Vertigan report will recommend cutting back [...]
Continue Reading
BAILLIEU GOVERNMENT TO WASTE TAXPAYERS MONEY ON LUDICROUS COURT CHALLENGE
Posted on 29. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Baillieu Government will waste hundreds of thousands of dollars on a Federal Court challenge to turn a nationally significant national park into a cow paddock, Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lisa Neville said today. Ms Neville said it was ludicrous for the Baillieu Government to ask the Federal Court to review the [...]
Continue Reading
UNPRODUCTIVE DAY AT THE OFFICE AS MINISTER DALLA-RIVA TRIPS UP THREE TIMES
Posted on 28. Feb, 2012 by admin.
1. MINISTER FOR MANUFACTURING CANNOT DEFINE PRODUCTIVITY The Minister for Manufacturing in the Baillieu Government, Mr Richard Dalla-Riva has been unable to define what productivity is in State Parliament today, despite spruiking productivity as the answer to the state’s manufacturing woes, the Shadow Minister Adem Somyurek said today. “The Minister waxed lyrical in Question Time about [...]
Continue Reading
LABOR CALLS FOR SUNSET ON BAILLIEU’S PORT TAX GRAB
Posted on 28. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Baillieu Government has no choice but to support Opposition amendments and legislate an end date for a planned $75 million annual tax grab on the Port of Melbourne Corporation, Shadow Minister for Ports Tim Pallas said today. Mr Pallas said the Baillieu Government’s Port of Melbourne Corporation Licence Fee Bill now before State Parliament [...]
Continue Reading
SUBURBAN STATIONS FORGOTTEN IN PSO POLICY SHAMBLES
Posted on 22. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The first group of Protective Service Officers (PSOs) being rolled out this week are being deployed to stations where there are toilet facilities rather than where they are actually needed, Acting Shadow Police Minister James Merlino said today. Visiting the unstaffed Kananook station, Mr Merlino said the Baillieu Government’s PSO policy was in shambles, with [...]
Continue Reading
STATEMENT FROM THE SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION
Posted on 21. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Shadow Minister for Education James Merlino today welcomed the Gonski review, saying it was the first step by the Federal Government in reforming the way education is funded. “We wholeheartedly support the Federal Government’s aim to make education funding fairer and more transparent,” Mr Merlino said. “Making sure that each school has the resources they [...]
Continue Reading
CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE THREAT AGAINST PORT TAX
Posted on 20. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Tasmanian Government has threatened a constitutional challenge against the Baillieu Government’s new Port of Melbourne tax as industry anger about the charge grows. Tasmanian Infrastructure Minister David O’Byrne has written to Ports Minister Denis Napthine raising concerns that the tax could cause the loss of more jobs or be considered a constraint against trade [...]
Continue Reading
BAILLIEU IGNORES REGIONAL VICTORIA IN JOBS ROUNDTABLE
Posted on 16. Feb, 2012 by admin.
he Baillieu-Ryan Government must explain why regional Victoria was not represented at the Baillieu Government’s business jobs roundtable meeting, Acting Spokesman for Rural and Regional Development John Lenders said today. Mr Lenders said the exclusion of regional community and business representatives was further evidence the Baillieu-Ryan Government had abandoned regional Victoria. “Yet again the Baillieu-Ryan [...]
Continue Reading
MEMBERS STATEMENTS – Indo China Ethnic Chinese Association of Victoria: 30th anniversary – Thursday, 9 Feb 2012
Posted on 16. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Mr LIM (Clayton) — I rise to congratulate the Indo‑China Ethnic Chinese Association of Victoria on its 30‑year anniversary of serving its community. Over the 30 years this association has provided valuable services and has greatly contributed to the lives of newly arrived refugees and migrants from Indochina and other Chinese‑speaking regions. Providing settlement services during refugees’ and [...]
Continue Reading
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AMENDMENT (FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSIONER) BILL 2011
Posted on 16. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Mr LIM (Clayton) — I rise to speak on the Freedom of Information Amendment (Freedom of Information Commissioner) Bill 2011. In little more than a year the Liberal Party has chalked up a litany of broken promises. They fall into three categories: firstly, promises it could never keep, such as implementing lock, stock and barrel the recommendations [...]
Continue Reading
MORE BAD NEWS FOR VICTORIAN JOBS
Posted on 08. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Baillieu Government must act now to protect the jobs of 600 Alcoa workers following today’s news that Alcoa’s Point Henry smelter was under review, the Leader of the Opposition, Daniel Andrews, said today. Mr Andrews said Alcoa’s announcement was further evidence of the Baillieu Government’s failure to protect Victorian workers and lazy economic management. [...]
Continue Reading
WEST GATE SAFETY UNDER THREAT BY BAILLIEU INACTION
Posted on 08. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Baillieu Government must immediately clarify what it is doing to protect the structural integrity of the West Gate Bridge to cope with unprecedented traffic loads and dire warnings the bridge will soon reach its limit, the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Tim Pallas, said today. Mr Pallas said documents released to the Opposition under Freedom [...]
Continue Reading
WHO IS ON YOUR HIT LIST, MR BAILLIEU?
Posted on 08. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Premier needs to detail exactly which areas and positions will be impacted by his Government’s decision to slash thousands of jobs from the public sector, Leader of the Opposition Daniel Andrews said today. In Parliament today, senior Baillieu Government Ministers refused to confirm that court reporters and school support services officers such as speech [...]
Continue Reading
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE ON FAMILY VIOLENCE
Posted on 06. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Baillieu Government’s announcement of additional resources to fight family violence is too little too late for many family violence victims, Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention Jill Hennessy said today. “The Baillieu Government has been slow to react to a sharp increase in reports of family violence across the State, and I fear this announcement [...]
Continue Reading
YOUNG FARMERS LEFT HIGH AND DRY BY BAILLIEU AND WELLS
Posted on 06. Feb, 2012 by admin.
The Baillieu Government has failed to fulfil its election commitment to cut stamp duty for young farmers, after it was revealed that the reforms will not apply to the majority of farmers, Shadow Minister for Agriculture John Lenders said today. Mr Lenders said Baillieu Government reforms were flawed because young farmers with property valued over [...]
Continue Reading
NEW LABOR SHADOW CABINET ANNOUNCED
Posted on 06. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Victorian Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews has today announced minor changes to Labor’s Shadow Ministry. As part of the changes, Deputy Leader James Merlino has been appointed the new Shadow Minister for Education, while the newest member of the Shadow Cabinet, John Eren, is now responsible for the Sport and Recreation and Volunteers portfolios. Jacinta Allan [...]
Continue Reading
ANOTHER LUCKY LOVELL FRIDAY SPECIAL
Posted on 03. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Housing Minister Wendy Lovell has again released the public housing waiting list data late on a Friday afternoon in a sneaky attempt to avoid scrutiny, Shadow Minister for Housing Richard Wynne said. “Since taking over the housing portfolio, Ms Lovell has released all four of the quarterly waiting list reports for 2011 late on a [...]
Continue Reading
BAILLIEU MUST FULLY FUND EQUAL PAY FOR LOW-PAID WOMEN
Posted on 01. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Premier Ted Baillieu must deliver on his promise and immediately commit to fully fund today’s historic order by Fair Work Australia that gives equal pay to tens of thousands of Victoria’s lowest paid women, the Leader of the Opposition, Daniel Andrews, said today. The Federal Government and all states except Victoria had committed to fund [...]
Continue Reading
LABOR WELCOMES NEW DEPUTY LEADER AND SHADOW MINISTER
Posted on 01. Feb, 2012 by admin.
Member for Monbulk James Merlino has today been elected Deputy Leader for the Victorian Labor Party, while Member for Lara John Eren has been elected to the Shadow Cabinet. Mr Merlino and Mr Eren were elected unopposed to fill the vacancies left by former Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Minister Rob Hulls, who resigned from [...]
