Bill to Ban Gas Drilling

First, in big news, the NSW Government has just banned all new oil and gas drilling along their coast. 

But here in Victoria, our Labor Government is actually expanding oil and gas drilling, including allowing gas drilling near the 12 Apostles.

After the latest IPCC report has warned that some climate change impacts are irreversible, and after the floods in NSW and Queensland, we absolutely must stop all new gas drilling.

That’s why my Greens MP colleagues and I have introduced a Bill to ban all new offshore drilling for oil and gas in Victorian waters. 

You can join us in calling on the Victorian Labor Government to support our Bill and follow NSW in banning offshore drilling for oil and gas. Sign the petition (and share it with your friends!) calling on Victoria’s government to go further and faster on climate action.

Sign the petition

Healthcare Survey

The pandemic has revealed clear weaknesses in Victoria’s health system, so I’ve launched a survey to ask Brunswick people about the improvements we could make to Victoria’s healthcare.

By completing the survey you will help to shape the health initiatives and policies I will advocate for in the Victorian Parliament.

Take the survey here

How our health system struggled with Omicron

Read my blog piece

Moreland Rd crossing and Albion-Nicholson St bends

Recently we’ve seen some great progress on two community-led pedestrian safety campaigns, which I’ve been supporting.

The dangerous bends at the top of Nicholson St are being upgraded with speed bumps and extra signs, after a series of crashes there. I have been pushing the Roads minister on this for months, so it’s great to see this progress.

But there’s been a string of accidents further up Nicholson St in Coburg recently and local residents have been calling for years for a lower speed limit. I agree with them and will keep pushing for this.

And on the other side of Brunswick, Moreland Rd will receive a new pedestrian crossing between Walhalla Road and Everett Street, to make it safer for people to cross this busy stretch.

The community here has been campaigning for this crossing for years, and I've been supporting their work, along with Moreland Council. This shows that together, we can get things done!

Upfield Bike Path

Anyone who rides a bike in Brunswick will know how narrow and congested the Upfield bike path can be. I’ve been calling on the government to make Brunswick safer for cyclists by fixing Sydney Road and the Upfield path.

Recently I asked the minister to join me for a bike ride on the Upfield. He hasn’t responded yet, but he does ride a bike and hopefully I can show him how dangerous it is for those of us who get around on two legs or two wheels!

Watch the video

Cycle lane survey

Speaking of bikes, if you’ve had a pedal on one of the new trial bike lanes on Dawson street, Albion Street, or Northumberland Avenue, the Moreland City Council is looking for feedback about these lanes.

Your feedback and ideas will help the council to monitor these trials and adjust plans before permanent decisions are made.

Take the survey here

Photo credit: Julian Meehan

Freedom Cage

Last week my Greens colleagues and I visited the Freedom Cage at the Park Hotel on Swanston Street to protest against the ongoing detention of refugees in hotels.

Detaining people who have fled war and oppression with no end date is cruel and inhumane. If ever there was a time to reconsider how Australia treats refugees, it is now, when hundreds of thousands are fleeing the Russian Army in Ukraine.

We're urging the Victorian Premier to advocate to the Prime Minister for their immediate release. 

Read more here

Notification to police of harmful substances

I’m asking Victorian MPs to support a small change to public health laws to protect people using recreational drugs.

Sometimes party drugs like ecstasy can contain unexpected, deadly substances like opioids, which can put users in hospital or worse.

Given the lack of quality control and regulation of currently illegal drugs, dangerous batches of drugs like this can stay in circulation for weeks, putting users at higher levels of risk.

Sometimes when police find evidence of a toxic batch of recreational drugs, they inform the Department of Health, who can issue a public health alert telling people to avoid anything resembling the bad batch. Health alerts like this can save lives.

However, the police don’t always take this step. So I am asking MPs to support an amendment to a health bill that will require police to inform the health department every time a dangerous substance is detected. My colleague Samantha Ratnam will be putting it to the upper house soon.

This change would reduce the number of people who end up in hospital, or who die, from recreational drug use.

Cooling and Insulation for Renters

Over summer I heard from dozens of Brunswick renters about how the heat was unbearable in their homes.

Our summers will only get hotter as we feel the effects of climate change. The mean minimum temperature in Melbourne this January was the highest on record. This kind of heat is uncomfortable for most, and for some who are vulnerable, it can be deadly.

All homes should be safe and should be able to stay cool.

That’s why we’ve called for mandatory minimum requirements for efficient cooling and effective insulation for people renting in Victoria.

Join our campaign

Merri Creek Visioning

Get involved

Duck Hunting

Victorian Labor have approved another brutal duck shooting season in Victoria. The 90-day shooting season will be the longest since 2018.

Our wildlife are still recovering from the impact of drought and worsening weather events as a result of climate change, with native duck numbers on the decline.

The Greens have been campaigning for decades to stop the cruel practice of duck shooting. We’ll keep up the pressure to save our waterbirds and to put an end to the slaughter of ducks in Victoria.

Support the campaign

Inquiry into the far right

Last year, The Victorian Greens introduced a motion in parliament calling for an inquiry into the rise of the far-right in Victoria. And I’m pleased to say that the inquiry has been secured!

The rise of far-right extremism threatens democracy and our multicultural communities. No one should be made to feel unsafe in their community and we should do all we can to understand and prevent such dangerous threats.

This parliamentary inquiry will allow us to further investigate the growing presence and influence of right-wing extremists, as well as examine links to misinformation spreading within anti-vaccine conspiracy groups.

I’m glad to see this inquiry go ahead. This is a step in the right direction to ensure the safety of all Victorians.

Read more

International Women's Day

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