Greens MPs in Victoria

Colleen Hartland - Speech in Parlaiment

My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Higher Education and Skills, the Honourable Peter Hall. Animal studies TAFE courses provide the skills and knowledge to care for and manage the daily needs of a range of animal species. These courses provide skills for potential careers in pet grooming and veterinary nursing, and for shelter workers, kennel or cattery attendants, animal attendants, pet shop workers, community animal-care workers and farm workers.

Thanks to the government’s TAFE funding cuts Victoria University has been forced to discontinue providing an animal studies TAFE course. There is now no institution offering an animal studies course in the western region of Melbourne.

Victorian Greens Health Spokesperson Colleen Hartland has announced a 29 May deadline for the Government to announce a ban on smoking in outdoor dining and drinking areas, or face up to the issue in parliament via her smoking in outdoor areas bill.

In response to the release of the Government’s consultation on smoking in children’s recreational areas, and  the launch of the peak health organisation campaign ‘Keep Fresh Air Fresh’, Colleen Hartland has announced that she will proceed with her Bill on the 29^th May if the government fails to act before then. Ms Hartland’s Bill aims to make outdoor drinking and dining areas smokefree.

“I will give the government the opportunity to do the right thing and act on submissions to the consultation that support making outdoor dining and drinking areas healthy and smokefree. If they do not make this announcement, I will proceed with my bill in parliament.” said Colleen Hartland.

Speech in parliament by Colleen Hartland

In light of recent reports issued by the Climate Commission and beyondblue, I call on the government to create a climate change and health strategy for Victoria.

In recent weeks beyondblue released a book entitled A Road Less Travelled—A Guide to Children, Emotions and Disasters, which provides deeper insight into the long-lasting mental health impacts of disasters on children. Shortly after the Climate Commission released a report entitled The Critical Decade— Extreme Weather, which confirmed that climate change is already increasing the intensity and frequency of many extreme weather events, and that there is a high risk of disasters becoming even more intense over coming decades.

Speech in parliament by Greens MP Colleen Hartland.

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Ryan Smith. It relates to an issue that is very important for the people of the Northern Territory and the businesses that have invested in a recycling scheme there—the container deposit scheme.

The Northern Territory 10 cent deposit scheme is based on the very successful South Australian model, and the Northern Territory now enjoys recycling rates amongst the highest in the world. On Monday, 4March 2013 the Federal Court of Australia, in the case of Coca-Cola Amatil (Aust) Pty Ltd v. Northern Territory of Australia [2013], ruled in favour of beverage companies Coca-Cola Amatil, Lion Nathan and Schweppes that the Northern Territory container deposit scheme was inconsistent with the Mutual Recognition Act 1992 and that therefore the container deposit scheme is invalid.

Question in parliament to the Minister for Health by Colleen Hartland

My question is also for the Minister for Health. On 19 June 2012 in a response to my question without notice regarding the World Health Organisation diesel pollution report and the need for a health impact assessment, the minister said:

I too saw that report, and I have sought some information. I have not made any decision at this point to take the action that she indicates in terms of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act, but I did see the report and will respond in due course.

I asked this question of the minister eight months ago, and I would have thought that was long enough to consider this issue. I would now like to ask again: will the minister give an undertaking to do a health impact assessment on the effects of diesel?

SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT: Sunday, 3March, was Clean Up Australia Day. This fantastic day sees thousands of volunteers across Victoria and Australia hauling rubbish out of our creeks, parks, beaches and roadsides. I spent the day visiting three sites in the western suburbs. I went to Fairbairn Park and helped the 15th Essendon Sea Scouts, I went to Pipemakers Park to pick up bottles with the Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley, and I picked up pest sea stars at the Jawbone Marine Sanctuary in Williamstown.

I was aware that a lot of the rubbish we collected would not have been there if we had container deposit legislation.

My question is for the Minister for Health, and it is in relation to the eviction of the Footscray mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) unit from its current site. As the minister would know, MICA paramedics save lives with their higher clinical skill set and ability to perform more advanced medical procedures. The eviction will leave residents in the inner west vulnerable, without their local MICA paramedics. This unit is the second busiest in the state. Obviously saving lives in the inner west is much more important than the rent, and the question I ask the minister is: will the government find the funding to make up the shortfall so the MICA unit can stay in the Footscray area?

Parliament adjournment

My adjournment matter tonight is for the Minister for Planning. The minister would be aware of the redevelopment of Moonee Valley Racecourse and the concerns that have been raised by the council, members of Save Moonee Ponds and local residents. Because of these concerns all are eager to participate in the consultation process, and I am sure that the minister wishes to protect the interests of the community, as I do.

I am also certain that the minister would by now have received a letter dated 24 January 2013 which gives an excellent outline of the concerns of Save Moonee Ponds. It has raised a number of important issues in its letter, with community consultation being at the top of the list.

My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Planning. Residents’ group Save Williamstown has organised a public rally at 11.00 a.m. on 8 December at the Williamstown Mechanics Institute. The Williamstown community is facing a development proposal with no height limits and developers wanting to build a high-rise building with 813 dwellings that will house approximately 2000 people. The site used to have strict heritage controls and a three-storey height limit. However, the proposed Williamstown high-rise building will tower over the surrounding areas of Williamstown and will be out of place and out of character with heritage values. An extra 2000 people will put a strain on services such as health care, child care, schools and public transport.

Ms HARTLAND (Western Metropolitan)—My question today is for the Minister for Health. On 16 November it was very pleasing to hear the Premier stating a commitment to bring in a ban on sunbeds within the next two years. When can we expect to see legislation in this Parliament, and does the minister already have a consultation plan for informing the industry and the community in general about how the government is going to do that?

Colleen Hartland's pressure on the government to take action and protect Victorians from cancer causing solariums has acheived a fantastic outcome for public health. On 14 November 2012 Greens MP Colleen Hartland moved a motion in parliament calling on the Government to follow the lead of South Australia and NSW and ban solariums. Both the Government and the Opposition were forced to show their hands and support the motion. Less than two days later Premier Baillieu announced that a ban will be introduced! A month later the baillieu govenremnt confirmed a timeline to ban solariums by 2014.

This is a fantastic win for the health of Victorians! This will bring us into line with other states also moving on this health initiative, including NSW and SA.

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health. Women’s Health West has received a welcome $600 000 funding as part of a statewide bucket of money to prevent violence against women, which is the greatest cause of ill health and hospitalisation of women.

The need to fund independent women’s health services is reflected in the most recent Cambridge University research that shows that strong, autonomous feminist movements were the first to articulate the problem of violence against women and the key catalysts for government action.

Disappointingly, though, at the same time the government has cut funds to community and women’s health programs in the west. It seems the government gives with one hand and takes away with the other.