Gary's Speeches

Annual Statement of Government Intentions

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It is a great pleasure to be given the opportunity to make a contribution in reply to the annual statement of government intentions for 2008. It concerns me that the current Labor government has made so many empty promises to Victorians. It has covered up the real situation on so many occasions -- to the point that I do not really think its members and the bureaucrats know what is fact or fiction. Never mind making promises to deliver in 2008; what about what should have been delivered in 2007, 2006 and 2005 -- commitments we are still waiting to see delivered?

The fact is that this document lacks any real substance and ignores some of the critical needs of country Victorians, in particular those living in Narracan.

The Brumby government has unprecedented levels of income via GST, land tax, stamp duty, speeding fines and gambling revenue, and yet we are still seeing our country communities struggling to cope with the non-delivery of services in health, education, policing, public transport, children's services and roads. We are still seeing the constant cost shifting from state government to local government. We are still burdened with city-centric planning decisions that are frustrating country communities, shires, small business and investment in infrastructure. The Brumby government's income has increased by a whopping 84 per cent since 1999. We have not seen increases in expenditure in any of the major areas of government responsibility by anywhere near this amount. So where is the money going?

Let me take the house through just a few of the subheadings in the document covering areas that the government has neglected in the past and where it is now attempting to airbrush a new picture with spin and deceit.

I refer to 'Public health and wellbeing' -- and it is great to see that the Minister for Health is in the chamber at this time. As I have mentioned before in this chamber, in health the West Gippsland Healthcare Group continues to struggle with constantly increasing demand -- I know the Minister for Health is aware of this, and I remind him again -- and an emergency department that is too small and is battling with an increase in the number of mental health presentations, which often put the safety of patients and staff at risk.

The tremendous dedication and hard work of staff at the West Gippsland Healthcare Group is being taken for granted by this government as it continues to ignore these problems. Once again the community of Baw Baw shire has bailed out the Brumby government by providing funds through bequests that have enabled the West Gippsland Healthcare Group board of management to plan for the future and purchase a greenfield site for the future needs of health as the population continues to grow in the area.

This is yet another example of country communities and country families not being prepared to let the future health and wellbeing of their community suffer because of government inaction and lack of foresight. The very least the Brumby government can do now is provide funding for the review of the West Gippsland Healthcare Group master plan, which I have called on the Minister for Health to provide; I take this opportunity to repeat that request.

In Narracan -- indeed right throughout Gippsland -- the availability of accommodation for those living with a disability or mental illness is so short in supply that, based on the national average, 92 per cent of those persons with a severe or profound disability may not be receiving an accommodation support service. That is a disgraceful indictment of a government which is awash with a record income but which continues to ignore our most vulnerable.

And, guess what, the amazing community of Baw Baw shire is preparing to again dig deep to bail out this lazy Brumby government. There is a project on the drawing board for a group under the banner of the Baw Baw community housing group to construct a two-unit supported accommodation facility funded completely by the Gippsland community and the Baw Baw shire. They are sick of waiting for this government to honour its responsibilities.

Under the subheadings of 'An integrated approach to transport', 'Major transport projects', 'Road safety legislation' and 'Rail access legislation', I am not sure the government understands the meaning of the word 'integrated'; and if it does, it certainly does not demonstrate it. If you look it up in a dictionary you see that it means 'a combined and coordinated approach to provide a harmonious whole'. The definition talks about having and including all people as equals in the consultation process.

But moving on from that, how can the government move forward and talk about road safety and rail access when we have level crossings on the fast -- or, rather, the 'farce' -- rail line that do not have boom gates? A level crossing in my electorate has been neglected purely because it would cost too much to fix. How much value do we put on life? Or is it that the electorate of Narracan is just like the south-western coast of Victoria? Are we just too far away? Even a near-miss accident is not enough for the government to act. I have photos of a car that was hit by a train late last year at the Lardners Track level crossing. The young male driver was extremely lucky to escape serious injury. You would expect that a near-miss warning would prompt some action from the minister. But I am still waiting for a response -- some four months after calling on the minister to take action on this issue.

The Yarragon community has been calling out for years for something to be done at an intersection in the middle of town. I have raised it before in this Parliament and I will raise it again. Three young lives were tragically lost at that intersection last year. There is a simple solution for the intersection, with a turning lane and turning arrows required. My pleading has not had a response from the minister. These are just some examples of neglect by the government in my electorate of Narracan, but I am sure it is statewide.

In its document the government talks about Victoria Police and making our community safer. I really wonder about this government's interpretation of 'safer'. In Narracan we have three medium-sized towns -- Neerim South, Trafalgar and Drouin -- and only a 16-hour police availability. These are growing towns with new subdivisions opening up, and many young people are moving in to raise their families in what has always been a very healthy and safe environment. The government has no intention of maintaining the safety of these communities as police resources become more stretched. To top it all off, the government is going to sell off the police residences in Drouin and Trafalgar. Restricted police availability and reduced police presence will not make our communities safer, and so the Brumby government's spin and deceit goes on.

The statement by the Premier on Victoria's financial position is also worthy of comment, as he says, 'The government has delivered sound financial management through responsible budgets, and continuing surpluses are forecast'.

The government has lined its pockets with $400 million in police fines and more than $57 billion from the GST since it was introduced. These figures were current last year; I am sure they have increased since then. In 2006-07 alone the government collected $890 million from land taxes. As I mentioned earlier, this government has record income, unprecedented revenue flowing into government coffers, unprecedented power in government, but services are still not being delivered. So of course there will be continuing surpluses!

I have schools that were promised funding and nothing -- absolutely nothing -- has been done about it by the government, except for putting school principals and school committees through absolute hell as they are expected to develop a very detailed plan which justifies their need for a redevelopment of their facilities. The government made election promises to these school communities, and now it has implemented a process that effectively stalls the delivery of that pre-election commitment.

On the topic of education, I know many other members of this house have expressed the desperate need for funding assistance in kindergartens, not to mention every other facet of education. I know I have been very critical of this government, but it is my job to advocate on behalf of my electorate and to try to focus the Brumby government's attention beyond the tram tracks of Melbourne. However, I would like to acknowledge the assistance I have received from the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development on two issues relating to funding for children's services.

The Brown family of Yarragon have a son, Malachy, desperately in need and deserving of an aide at kindergarten. Last year the Department of Human Services would provide only 4 hours per week; the local Bendigo Bank and kinder committee raised funds to give Malachy more time at kinder. Thanks to the intervention of the minister, Malachy is receiving 10 hours per week of aide support this year.

This will make a huge difference to Malachy's kinder experience, and the peace of mind it has given his parents and the kinder staff is immeasurable.

The Brumby government has lost control of a number of its departments. It desperately needs to rein them back in and refocus their attention on service delivery, which is their primary responsibility. In summary, I remind the Premier that it is one thing to talk about the government's intentions, it is very much another to deliver them. The Brumby government is very good at being divisive, taking people in country communities for granted and not delivering on its promises. This glossy document will do nothing to change that. Talking about being inclusive and consultative will not fool the people of Victoria. Only action in the form of genuine improvements in service delivery, a change of attitude among government bureaucrats and a review of the current culture of non-service delivery in some departments will restore the confidence of Victorians in the Brumby government.