Today, Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle welcomed the announcement that Victorians will get the mental health support and care they need, with the Andrews Labor Government to provide additional funding as demand for services increases during current restrictions.

I rise to speak in support of the Child Wellbeing and Safety (Child Safe Standards Compliance and Enforcement) Amendment Bill 2021. We are introducing this significant legislation to protect children across Victoria from child abuse and improve compliance with child safety standards.

My question is directed to the Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Youth regarding support for grassroots community sport in my electorate of Wendouree.

Congratulations to Yuille Park Community College, which received the HART Award in the schools or early years category last week. The HART Awards—Helping Achieve Reconciliation Together—are a partnership between the Victorian Local Governance Association and Reconciliation Victoria.

It is an absolute pleasure to stand up and talk about an area that I have such a great interest in, that being the education of future generations of Victorians, and today talking about the protection of our schools, protecting our school communities and protecting our teachers. Our teachers need protection, very sadly. That is why this bill has been introduced, and I am very, very proud to go in to bat for teachers. After being a teacher myself for 12 years and having lots and lots of very good friends who are teachers, I am so proud to go in to bat for them and support this very important Education and Training Reform Amendment (Protection of School Communities) Bill 2021.

I thank the Member for Wendouree for her question and acknowledge her enthusiasm and contribution to date in the rebuild of Victoria’s mental health system.

I want to thank the local community for their patience on this issue and acknowledge the advocacy of the local members on this issue.

The Victorian Government is taking immediate action to keep people who live in residential disability settings, private aged care residents and staff safe with a vaccination blitz to ensure workers in these vulnerable settings are protected against coronavirus.

Thank you for your question and for the kind thanks extended to all involved in the project. It was a pleasure to have you join me for the official opening of the Ballarat GovHub on Wednesday 21 April.

I too welcome the opportunity to contribute to this discussion about how we should treat vulnerable Victorians who are experiencing issues of drug addiction. I am proud that the Andrews Labor government addresses the issues of opioid addiction as a health concern, through a lens of care and compassion.

Ballarat has a proud history of building trains, and this is set to continue following last week’s almost $1 billion announcement to build 25 brand new X’trapolis 2.0 trains in my electorate of Wendouree. I thank the Treasurer for this huge investment in Ballarat and congratulate him on the excellent 2021–22 state budget that creates jobs and cares for Victoria.

My constituency question is directed to the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers. It is about strengthening food relief in my community to ensure healthy food reaches those in need.