The minimisation of adolescent violence is tremendously significant in numerous respects, not least in substantially reducing current and future financial burdens on Victoria’s justice and health systems, as well as the State’s economy more broadly. By definition, it also leads to improved outcomes in mental and physical wellbeing at both an individual and family level.
My question is to the Minister for the Environment. It follows the recent release of VAGO’s Reducing Bushfire Risks audit. For my electorate of Northern Victoria, much of that audit’s content is highly relevant and topical after last summer’s disastrous bushfires and given that another fire season is now imminent.
I can confirm that Mr Grimley and I will be supporting this Bill. It has a number of different elements to it. Particularly importantly for us, it includes the provision of some new avenues of recourse in relation to a group of previously-prohibited forms of legal action relating to child abuse.
I will begin by stating that Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party supports this legislation. As I said in my speech in February 2019 on the forerunner Bill to this one, I commend the Government on its establishment, in law, of the nurse-to-patient ratios that are again at the heart of this new Bill. I also congratulate the Government for what I regard as its clear willingness, in this area, to introduce incremental changes to the Safe Patient Care Act in order to continue to enhance how it actually works in practice.