I say at the outset that the opposition does not oppose this bill, because it builds on what Labor did in office to fight crime in Victoria. During Labor's period in office it made significant changes to the criminal justice system, including reforms to sentencing legislation.
I rise to speak on the 2010-11 midyear financial report, incorporating the quarterly financial report no. 2.
I say at the outset that I certainly agree with the statement made in clause 1 of that motion in relation to the need for the Baillieu government to honour all of its election commitments in full, but I would go further than that and say that it also needs to address the issue of need.
In its election campaign the Baillieu government promised to fix the so-called problems in Victoria. Some of its promises included making Victoria's teachers Australia's best paid, a big pay rise for Victorian community sector workers and a safer and more efficient public transport system -- to name a few. In government, however, these promises have become empty rhetoric at best and blatant deceit and hypocrisy at worst.
This legislation builds upon reforms that Labor, when in office, sought to introduce regarding building standards, aiming in particular to achieve greater accessibility in public and private dwellings in response to our ageing population and the one in five Victorians who lives with a disability.
It is estimated that every night in Victoria over 2000 homeless people will be sleeping rough on the street, many of whom have been turned away from emergency shelters unable to cope with demand.
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