Mr BURGESS: Congratulations also to St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Crib Point, who celebrated their family fun day on Friday, 29 March. The event was well attended, with lots of arts and crafts stalls, rides for kids and even a show bag or two. I was struck by the enormous talent among St Joey’s students, singing, dancing and playing instruments. There were also quite a few good voices in the audience, whether those parents were supposed to be singing or not.

Mr BURGESS (Hastings) (09:59:31): On Saturday, 23 March, I was thrilled to be invited to the High Society Hastings Community Open Day, where a wide range of foods, services and just plain fun were displayed by a mix of community groups, local traders and residents. It was a wonderful living, working and breathing display of the broad and diverse mix of things that Hastings has to offer. There was information from local community groups, giveaways, prizes and activities for the young and old. Congratulations to Kristy Horsfall, president Jason Dowler, the outstanding committee of the Westernport Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the more than 40 stallholders who put together such an outstanding event—yet another great production the Hastings community can be proud of.

The coastal villages are more at risk from bushfires, because of Daniel Andrews’ never-ending war on the CFA and the impact it has had on local back burning operations. 

The Andrews Labor Government has yet again confirmed what Langwarrin parents have suspected, that when it comes to providing educational facilities, Labor is prepared to put political rhetoric before our kids. 

On Wednesday in Parliament, the Andrews Labor Government confirmed they had cut their school asbestos removal program, which will affect local schools such as Langwarrin Primary School.

In Question Time, the Andrews Labor Government did not rule out that there has been a 75% reduction in planned burning to minimise the risk of bushfires in areas such as the Mornington Peninsula.  

Mr BURGESS (Hastings) (16:36:07): It is a pleasure to rise to speak in the address-in-reply debate and to follow the member for Essendon. It is always enlightening to hear him tell us all what a great orator he is while he is bagging out the person that ran against him at the previous election. It is really not the way you should be approaching these things. I will be thanking the people that ran against me, because that is just the general thing that we do in here, but the member for Essendon does not seem to have picked up on that in his approach to politics. Overall I would like to thank the people of the Hastings community for having shown trust in me. I will certainly be doing everything in my power to deliver everything I can that is important to my community—all the priorities that they have made very clear to me. I will be doing everything I can to hold this government to account and to make sure that my community gets the things that it needs. I would like to congratulate the Speaker on his re-election and also the member for Bendigo West on her re-election as the Deputy Speaker.

Mr BURGESS (Hastings) (11:57:54): (118) My question is directed to the Minister for Education. Minister, I am seeking information on behalf of the Langwarrin Primary School community regarding the provision of air conditioning for the new modular building that will replace block A. The building will consist of six general-purpose rooms, including a food science room, office staffrooms and a reception area. While the new building will have heating, it appears there has been a serious oversight because school council has been informed that this brand-new modern building will be reminiscent of schools when I was going to primary school and will not have air conditioning. Mr Angus: It must be pretty old. Mr BURGESS: That is very old. I am assuming this has been an oversight because surely, Minister, it cannot be the case that this government, that likes to run the line that under its watch this is the Education State, would try and short-change the Langwarrin community by not providing air conditioning for one of its primary schools. Parents are particularly concerned about heat stress. I am sure the minister is aware that some students and teachers are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses than others. They are also particularly concerned that the school would be forced to cover the cost of air conditioning—$111 000 that they do not have.

Mr BURGESS (Hastings) (09:49:10): Local residents in my electorate are fed up with rising local crime and the complete lack of support by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and this government for our hardworking and dedicated local police. Our local police are stretched far too thinly with the huge range of things they are tasked with that they simply do not have time to do the things local residents need them to do. Domestic violence, which is the number one priority of our police, can take as much as 50 per cent of an officer’s time. While it should be our first priority because people’s lives are at risk—the argument is not that it is the wrong priority—the argument is that up to half of police resources are taken up by that one area, despite increased population and rising drug use and associated offences. Zero additional numbers of police have been provided to the Hastings area since the election of the Andrews government. There simply are not enough police officers to adequately protect my community. It does not take a genius to work out that if you do not have enough police to attend and take a report, there often is no crime recorded and the police minister’s stats go down. Great work, Minister. The truth of the claims by the Premier and his minister of lessening crime just do not equate to the lived experience of Victorians, and there is no question about that being the case. Premier and Minister, my community is not going to accept the high crime rates. Over the last two months there have been a number of very well-attended meetings in my area around my community in response to growing frustration by local communities. They are sick and tired of being surrounded by crime and being told it does not exist. I have told my community that vigilantism is not on, but that is not the only action communities can take into their own hands. In fact by letting police know what their expectations are they can then measure police and their performance against that.

Mr BURGESS (Hastings) (11:49:00): (259) My question is directed to the Minister for Education. I am seeking information on behalf of the Somerville Rise Primary School community about the provision of new shade sails for its playgrounds. It has been a number of years since both the junior and senior playgrounds were last protected by shade sails. The metal frames that supported the old shade sails are still in place, but the school cannot afford to replace the sails due to the high expense. A recent quote received for new shade sails for the school’s junior playground was $15 000. Parents are concerned that that the school’s playgrounds have no shaded areas for their children to sit or play under and therefore there is nothing to protect young and vulnerable skin from harmful UV rays. Currently the only shade protection available to the children outdoors is the school’s bike shed. It is estimated that in Victoria 40 000 new cases of skin cancer are identified every year. Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with two in three people diagnosed by the age of 70. When used in conjunction with protective clothing and sunscreen, shade structures are the best defence against UV radiation as they offer great sun protection with ventilation and cooling.