This week in State Parliament – 11 February 2016
This week in State Parliament, Liberal and National MPs repeatedly questioned the Premier and Public Transport Minister over why and how the government decided to put rail lines on three-storey high elevated tracks running for kilometres through built-up suburbs, as their way of removing level crossings.
We sought answers from the government about their mishandling of the V/Line crisis affecting tens of thousands of country Victorians. Disgracefully, the government voted to prevent the Public Transport Minister from being required to give evidence to an inquiry into the crisis.
We opposed the government’s attempt to shut down an investigation by the Ombudsman into Labor’s rorting of electorate staff allowances prior to the 2014 election, and voted for the Legislative Council to intervene in a case before the Supreme Court to support the Ombudsman’s right to investigate.
We continued to highlight ongoing police station closures and reduced hours due to the government’s cuts to police numbers.
We called on the Premier to put the interests of ordinary workers ahead of rorting union officials and expel Cesar Melhem from the Labor Party, following the damning evidence and findings against him at the Trade Unions Royal Commission.
We forced the Premier to reverse the breaking of his election promise to provide free kindergarten to families in 10 drought-affected areas of country Victoria, after we exposed the fact that struggling families were being issued with kinder fee notices despite his promise.
We also continued to insist that the sale of the Port of Melbourne be on terms that do not sell out future generations, and in particular that the government not lock Victorians into massive compensation obligations that would prevent a future second container port in Victoria.