Environment: wilderness preservation

06/03/2013

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- It was great to see Bob Brown on the front page of the new-look Age yesterday in a story by Adam Morton about how the campaign to save the Franklin River was won. The article states that Bob was:

Overlooking the site of the Franklin blockade for the first time in five years ... While he believes the public's concern about the environment is greater than ever, the political value placed on untouched areas far from where most Australians live ...
is difficult to maintain. He is quoted as saying:

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Wildlife (game) regulations 2012

06/03/2013

 Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) (By leave)

I move:
             That the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012 be disallowed.

In moving the motion I state at the outset that the new regulations do not achieve their stated aims, which are the sustainable and equitable management of game resources, humane and safe hunting, and competency and accountability.

I move the motion to disallow the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012 because they do not achieve these aims and in fact are counterproductive to those aims.

Crimes amendment (gross violence offences) bill 2012

21/02/2013

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- I gave advance notice to the minister of the questions I have regarding clauses 1 and 4, to which I am not moving amendments. Clause 1 is the purposes of the bill. The Sentencing Advisory Council's Statutory Minimum Sentences for Gross Violence Offences -- Report of October 2011 says, at paragraph 8.95 at the very end of the report:

Given these varied and uncertain influences, and given the significant concerns expressed by stakeholders about the introduction of statutory minimum sentences, the council considers that future monitoring and evaluation are warranted on the operation of the statutory minimum sentences and their effect on sentencing practices for severe injury offences.

Courts legislation amendment (reserve judicial officers) bill 2012

21/02/2013

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- The Courts Legislation Amendment (Reserve Judicial Officers) Bill 2012 will amend the Constitution Act 1975, the Supreme Court Act 1986, the County Court Act 1958 and the Magistrates' Court Act 1989 to replace the existing acting judicial officers scheme with a new reserve judicial officers scheme. The amendments abolish the office of acting judge and establish an office of reserve judge in the Magistrates Court, the Supreme Court and the County Court. It replaces the offices of acting judge and acting magistrate with the new offices of reserve judge and reserve magistrate.

Jury Directions Bill 2012

05/03/2013

 

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- I will begin my contribution to the debate on the Jury Directions Bill 2012 by picking up points made by Mr Pakula towards the end of his contribution, and particularly those he made about clause 12 of the bill. 
 
Clause 12 of the bill goes to the duties of a trial judge when faced with unrepresented accused. The clause provides that if an accused is unrepresented, then a trial judge will give direction as if the judge had been requested to give directions on every matter, unless there is a good reason for not doing so, and those good reasons are outlined in clause 14 of the bill. 
 
I would like to comment on what Mr Pakula said, because it was only a few weeks ago in this place that he put a motion that the Law Reform Committee look at problems with Victoria Legal Aid. I think it is worth raising that matter now, because a lot of water has gone under the bridge since the government -- I think unwisely -- did not support that motion. Indeed in supporting the motion at that time I said that the government was unwise not to support it. 

Greens move to disallow new Wildlife Regulations for duck shooting season

4th March 2013 6:34 pm

Who: Victorian Greens animal welfare spokesperson, Sue Pennicuik MP
When: Wed 6 March 2013 (Approx 4.00 pm)
Where: Legislative Council, Parliament House
Tune in to the live broadcast at approx 4pm today and select Council 

What: Greens animal welfare spokesperson, Sue Pennicuik will move to disallow new Wildlife Regulations 2012 and take note of a petition bearing 706 signatures tabled in parliament last year to permanently ban the recreational shooting of Australian native waterbirds in Victoria.
 
The new Wildlife Regulations will increase exclusion zones in state game reserves for duck rescuers and other non-licensed shooters from 5 to 25 metres from the shoreline and from sunset to 10 am the following day for the entire duck shooting season.

Decrease ‘not a loss’

Fri, 01/03/2013 - 5:49pm — Amanda Sharp
Url: 
Decrease ‘not a loss’
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Greens say we need independence on crime statistics

28th February 2013 6:01 pm

“The latest release of crime statistics by Victoria Police highlights the need for an independent agency to manage, collate and publish such information,” said Greens Justice spokesperson Sue Pennicuik today.

“On releasing the figures, Acting Chief Commissioner Lucinda Nolan said family violence reporting had driven up the overall crime rate for the past 18 months and that the increase in the crime rate was also due to more detected drug offences and other offences,” said Ms. Pennicuik. “But we don’t have an independent assessment of the statistics and what is driving the crime rate up.”

State Government’s school funding plan is not credible

28th February 2013 5:03 pm

The document that the Victorian Government dropped out of nowhere last weekend, ‘Victoria's Plan for School Funding Reform’, is not a plan at all, Greens MP and Education spokesperson, Sue Pennicuik said today.

“It is little more than an ideological statement, containing no concrete, evidence based measures that would make school funding fairer or ensure that all Victorian students receive a quality education," Ms Pennicuik said.

Ms Pennicuik said the plan itself doesn’t provide any figures – the Premier has just asserted the figure of $400 million per year.

“This is a bit rich from a government that has ripped around $550 million out of the education budget, cut vital programs such as VCAL and the education maintenance allowance – hitting disadvantaged students the most, and closed regional offices that support government schools.