Victoria First Peoples’ Assembly Victoria’s newly elected First Peoples’ Assembly has taken its seat in the Parliament of Victoria for the first time, with new members who will negotiate the historic statewide Treaty – giving Victoria’s First Peoples true self-determination in matters that affect their communities. After First Nations Victorians voted in record numbers in the second Treaty Elections, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Gabrielle Williams today attended the new Assembly’s first meeting on Wurundjeri Country, congratulating members and newly-elected co-Chairs, Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg. Ngarra Murray is a Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Dhudhuroa and Wiradjuri woman with extensive experience in human rights and community development, having led Oxfam Australia’s First Peoples’ programs for a decade. Rueben Berg is a proud Gunditjmara man with experience in government through his role as the Commissioner for the Victorian Envi
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Won’t somebody please think of the children? Their agency is ignored in the moral panic around drag storytime
Drag Queen Story Time Protesters derailed a Monash City Council meeting on Wednesday, demanding the cancellation of a sold-out drag storytime event at Oakleigh Library in Melbourne’s southeast. This is just the latest in a string of drag performances for children throughout Victoria being cancelled or postponed in response to protest. The central message of these campaigns (accompanied by varying levels of vitriol) is the same: “let our kids be kids”, “protect our children” and “hands off our kids”, while simultaneously labelling performers and supporters of the events “paedophiles”. This is part of a global backlash. Similar protests and cancellations have happened in New Zealand , the United Kingdom and the United States . The argument in support of drag emphasises the impact on the performers at the centre of these events and queer community, arguing that the cancellation of these events is a form of discrimination and a contravention of human rights . But the debate
Aboriginal Art Image by jason M from Pixabay The names of 12 new schools set to open their doors next year have been revealed after being put to a community vote, with many names taken from local Aboriginal language for flora and fauna. Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins today announced the names of the new schools the Andrews Labor Government will open in some of the state’s biggest growth areas from Day 1, Term 1, 2023. The preferred names were chosen following a community consultation process that saw almost 5000 submissions made – with the final school names (and their interim names) chosen as: Barrawang Primary School – from the Woi-wurrung word of the Wurundjeri people meaning ‘magpie’ (interim Wollert West Primary School) Kurrun Primary School – from the Bunurong word meaning ‘wattle’ (interim Officer Rix Road Primary School) Nearnung Primary School – from the Bunurong word meaning ‘black cockatoo’ (interim Tarneit Missen House Primary School) Wayi School – a Woi-wurru
Premier Danial Andrews As part of Victoria’s continued response to the coronavirus pandemic and as we continue to manage the challenges winter presents, I have extended the pandemic declaration to apply to the State of Victoria from 11.59pm Tuesday 12 July for three months. The pandemic declaration gives the Minister for Health the authority to make pandemic orders she considers reasonably necessary to protect public health after considering the Chief Health Officer’s advice and other relevant factors, including social and economic factors. Recently, a number of modest and sensible changes to pandemic orders were made to allow Victorians to live safely with COVID-19 while reducing transmission and hospitalisations. This extended declaration will enable those key settings to remain in place over winter, protecting Victorians and our health system. The declaration was made under section 165AE of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 after consultation with, and consideration of advi
Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay The Andrews Labor Government is laying the groundwork for more housing to support workers in Ararat, creating jobs and supporting the region as it continues to grow. Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas today visited the Ararat East Development Zone to view works underway and meet with workers who have moved to town as part of a resettlement program. Both initiatives are backed by a $1.88 million investment from the Labor Government’s Regional Workforce Pilots. Ararat is one of four sites across the state to benefit from the pilots, designed to test solutions to workforce shortages that threaten economic recovery and growth. A lack of housing is a key driver of shortages, with Ararat rental vacancies falling from 1.5 per cent in March 2020 to 0.3 per cent in February this year. In the past two years, the region’s job vacancies have risen by 123 per cent. Works at the Ararat East Development Zone will create homes for up to 317 peo
The Andrews Labor Government is backing a processing facility in western Victoria to become one of Australia’s newest producers of plant-based meat, while boosting local jobs. Australian Eatwell has created 11 full-time jobs through the project, including roles in management, maintenance, quality control production and logistics. The company has cemented its position as a major employer in Donald, now employing 40 full-time staff. The project includes the installation of new equipment, including a packaging system and chiller to store vegan meat at the site. Australian Eatwell has also expanded its staff areas and increased the number of employees since the project was completed. With the new production plant up and running, the company is now selling plant-based mince and sausages to supermarkets across the country directly from Donald along with its organic tofu, vegetable burgers and soy cheese products. Established in 1993, A
The Andrews Labor Government will deliver Australia’s first offshore wind farms with a strong plan to drive regional investment, slash emissions and create jobs. The nation-leading policy, set out in the Victorian Offshore Wind Policy Directions Paper , includes procuring projects that will generate at least 2 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind online by 2032 – enough to power 1.5 million homes – creating thousands of jobs in the process. The first power from offshore wind is expected as soon as 2028 following a competitive process – and targets of 4 GW have been set for 2035 and 9 GW for 2040. Winds off Victoria’s coastline are among the best in the world and the resource can support a thriving new industry − one that will create thousands of jobs, drive economic development and help Victoria halve emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Studies show the state has the potential to support an enormous 13 GW of capacity from coastal regions by 2050 – five times the state’
Image by Afik Eleck from Pixabay Telling The Stories Of Multicultural Victorians Victorians from multicultural communities are invited to enter a new photography competition and tell their story. The first of its kind, Capturing Culture: A Focus on Multicultural Victoria is open to anyone in Victoria with a multicultural background. In addition to the $9,000 in prizes on offer, entrants have the opportunity to contribute to the visual record of a unique time in our history. Shortlisted entries will culminate in an exhibition of 24 artworks in June 2022. Winning entries will be announced at the exhibition. Submissions will be scored by a panel of judges across six categories: people’s choice, days of significance and cultural celebrations, portraiture, daily life and family, community resilience and the Minister’s choice. Applications are open until Sunday 17 April. For more information or to submit your entry, visit multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au/capturing-culture . Quotes
The Andrews Labor Government is standing with young queer, transgender and gender diverse Victorians and their families, with a fast-tracked funding boost to give them better access to vital health and support services. The recent unnecessary, hurtful public debate around legal protections for young LGBTIQ+ Australians has had a significant impact on their wellbeing and that of their families and loved ones. Young same-sex attracted people are already five times more likely to attempt suicide – and young transgender Australians are 15 times more likely. That’s why the Labor Government is stepping in to provide support where the Commonwealth has failed and subjected these communities to weeks of harmful and divisive rhetoric. Responding to any additional demand and making sure young LGBTIQ+ people know that in Victoria equality is not negotiable, the Government will deliver a $200,000 package for local organisations that provide crucial support to the LGBTIQ+ community. The investment w
Joint Third-Dose Vax Blitz Protecting Victorians Local sports clubs, youth groups and culturally and linguistically diverse communities are among more than 200 community organisations joining forces as part of a summer blitz to get Victorians vaccinated with their third COVID-19 dose. Victoria’s vaccination centres and 28 pop-ups are gearing up to deliver third doses across the state. Victorians who had their second vaccine four or more months ago are now due for their third dose. This comes after the recent ATAGI recommendation to bring forward the third dose interval to four months so as many people as possible are protected ahead of anticipated rising Omicron case numbers. The Victorian Government is making it as easy as possible for Victorians to get their crucial third dose. The additional sites, some of which will be walk-ups and open seven days a week 12 hours a day, will support the Commonwealth’s vaccination program alongside GPs and pharmacists. Pop-ups and extended fixed com
Stress out Women Image by Tumisu from Pixabay The Andrews Labor Government has released a blueprint to build and support Victoria’s mental health workforce, with extra funding to immediately deliver more than 350 jobs to make sure the once-in-a-generation mental health reforms are matched with a workforce to deliver the specialist care Victorians need, close to home. The new Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy 2021-2024 will guide the Labor Government’s work to grow the mental health system’s most important asset: a workforce that delivers world-class care, with clinicians who feel rewarded and supported in their vital work. The Strategy was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and includes initiatives to deliver four key priorities: increasing workforce supply; improving workforce skills, knowledge and capabilities; supporting the safety, wellbeing and retention of the workforce; and supporting better system planning a
The Andrews Labor Government is empowering Victorian communities across the state to prepare and adapt to the impacts of climate change with the development of six new community-led action plans. The Regional Adaptation Strategies provide practical ways for communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change through on-ground action. Communities across six regions − Barwon South West, Gippsland, Grampians, Hume, Loddon Mallee and Port Phillip – have developed and will lead the implementation of the five-year strategies. The strategies include preparing for and recovering from emergencies, caring for the natural environment, improving health and wellbeing, strengthening the economy and workforce, improving the resilience of our built environment, and embracing renewable energy. As part of the implementation of the strategies, $1.5 million will be invested in 54 on-the-ground community-led projects that will commence this financial year to help local communities prepare and adapt to th
Victoria’s emissions are continuing to fall with an emissions report clearly demonstrating the state’s transition to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050 is on track. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio released the Victorian Greenhouse Gas Emissions report for 2019 showing the state’s emissions continued to fall to 24.8 per cent below 2005 levels. The result means the Andrews Labor Government’s ambitious 2020 target − to reduce emissions by 15 to 20 per cent below 2005 levels − was exceeded ahead of schedule. The report also shows that in 2019, Victoria contributed 17.3 per cent of Australia’s total net emissions − less than Queensland (31.1 per cent); NSW (25.8 per cent) and WA (17.4 per cent). Victoria is decarbonising at the most rapid rate of any major jurisdiction in Australia and is doing so while its population and economy continues to grow. The report shows that while cutting emissions the economy has continued to grow. The Government has set
Chairman Dan Andrews Chairman Dan: With multiple wastewater detections, multiple exposure sites and four positive cases, on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, the City of Ballarat will tonight enter a seven-day lockdown to slow the spread of the virus in the community. There are a growing number of signals in Ballarat that are of real concern to our public health officials, of particular concern are the multiple waste-water detections in the Ballarat area that are not accounted for by the current positive cases. Those detections have been identified across the city. Because of these combined factors, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has declared that from 11.59pm tonight, the City of Ballarat will have the same restrictions – except for the curfew – in place as Metropolitan, Melbourne. This will last for seven days, until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 22 September. The Shepparton community has done an incredible job in keeping each other safe. Because of this, today the Chief Health Of
The Victorian Government is supporting multicultural Victorians from diverse communities to stay safe and healthy, and promote the importance of vaccination in their communities. Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence today announced $2 million to increase health messaging promoting vaccination and COVIDSafe behaviour designed by multicultural communities. The grants will support the creation and distribution of public health information in language that responds directly to misinformation and encourages vaccination and COVIDSafe behaviours. Multicultural media, community organisations and individuals are invited to apply for grants of up to $100,000 from funding of $1 million to deliver informative and accessible coronavirus-related content. In addition, $1 million is being provided directly to 21 organisations to communicate health messages to communities, including the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, Youth Activating Youth, Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, radi
After a successful start for Australia’s first drive-through vaccination clinic in Melton, Victoria will now be home to an additional three drive-through sites – helping us reach our goal of one million doses in the next five weeks. Premier Daniel Andrews today announced the new drive through clinics will open at the Former Ford Factory in Broadmeadows, at Sandown Racecourse in Springvale and at the Eagle Stadium in Werribee. The Melton clinic at the iconic Bunnings warehouse has seen a successful start, with 1200 doses delivered over the first seven days. The new site at the Ford Factory in Broadmeadows will be soft launched this Sunday by invitation only, and will open to the public for booked appointments from Monday 23 August. The Sandown Racecourse clinic will be adjacent to the existing Sandown Racecourse indoor vaccination hub and will run an invitation-only soft launch on Friday. It will open to the public for booked appointments from Saturday 21 August. Combined, these site