Mr GEPP: On another matter, I was delighted to join with Echuca Regional Health to officially and virtually launch the Echuca Cancer and Wellness Centre project to the community. Expected to be completed in 2022, the centre is significant for residents and families living in the Echuca-Moama region. There will be 10 treatment chairs along…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (15:11): My name is Mark, and I once inhaled! I am a former smoker. Funnily enough, Mr Finn and I were having a bit of a chinwag out the back earlier today and we talked about the time frames in which we have given up. I think between us we have…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (09:48): The weather was wild in Leitchville last week, but that did not dampen the spirits during a visit to the local CFA crew to share the good news with Captain Darren Jenkins and Second Lieutenant Jim Parsons that Leitchville CFA will be getting a new station. And at the very…
GEPP (Northern Victoria) (17:23): I too rise to speak on the Appropriation (Parliament 2020–2021) Bill 2020. I was wondering where my colleague Ms Shing was going when she completed her contribution with a reference to antiques in the Parliament. I looked straight at Mr Finn, and I thought: how did he get into this conversation? But he manages…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (11:26): I rise to make a contribution on the Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. I will take a little bit of time in the first instance. As Mr Davis has said, whilst the matters contained in the bill are not overly complex, there is actually quite some considerable change that is…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (10:53): I rise to congratulate the schools in my electorate of Northern Victoria that have been honoured as some of the state’s top educators in this year’s Victorian Education Excellence Awards in an online ceremony last Friday. Cobram Primary School received the Outstanding School Improvement Award. I commend the team, Matthew…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (14:55): I feel as if I should start this contribution with a hard hat on, because clearly the sky is falling in. The sky is falling in. With all these Chicken Little contributions we have had today, clearly the sky is falling in. And here we are—deja vu, deja vu. We…
GEPP (Northern Victoria) (10:05): Yet another Andrews Labor government budget has been delivered and yet another groundbreaking, nation-leading announcement made on a topic known only too well to many in the rural and regional communities of Northern Victoria Region: insecure work. Regrettably, COVID-19 has exposed the insidious nature of insecure work: people having to choose…
GEPP (Northern Victoria) (19:46): What a surprise that I am called first, but I will gladly take the slot. My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Small Business, and the action I seek is for her to ask the commissioner for small business to meet with the Shire of Nillumbik and small businesses in…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (10:26): This week is NAIDOC Week, as has been acknowledged by a number of other speakers, giving our country the opportunity to celebrate our First Nations people, the oldest living culture on this planet, dating back some 65 000 years. But unfortunately that spirit of celebration was diminished somewhat this week…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (09:43): I join with members in acknowledging this most solemn of days, Remembrance Day, the day when the supposed war to end all wars ceased in 1918. The Australian War Memorial records show that more than 60 000 Aussies died in World War I, with 155 000 wounded and some 4000…
GEPP (Northern Victoria) (12:52): It gives me great pleasure to rise to speak on this bill today. Mr Tarlamis: It’s a good bill. Mr GEPP: It is a great bill, Mr Tarlamis, and what is even better is I will get to commence this contribution before the lunch break and I might resume after the break…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (10:07): I rise to speak on this motion. It is a bit of a groundhog day, isn’t it, really? Another non-government business motion from Mr Davis, and it is yet another documents motion. It is not lost on me that Groundhog Day of course starred Bill Murray, and perhaps that is…
GEPP (Northern Victoria) (16:58): I was listening to all of the contributions, and I have got to say this is a fantastic day to be a member of Parliament. I have heard in some of the contributions that there might be some gaps in this bill. Dr Cumming and Mr Grimley earlier mentioned some of those, and…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (11:25): It is my pleasure to rise today to make a contribution also to the Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. Having listened to some of the contributions this morning, it is very pleasing that there would seem to be cross-chamber support for this bill. As my friend and colleague Dr Kieu…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (10:01): I too rise to congratulate Victorian sporting teams. I will not wax lyrical about the Vixens and the Storm given the contributions of others. I agree with most of what Mr Atkinson said, but not his slight against the Richmond Football Club, who I should point out were successful on…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria) (17:48): I rise today to speak on this very important bill, the Education and Training Reform Amendment (Regulation of Student Accommodation) Bill 2020. It is so very nice to be in the chamber when everybody is speaking positively about a bill—where we are all as one. It brings out the best,…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria): My adjournment matter is for the attention of the newly minted Minister for Early Childhood, and the action I seek is for her to do all in her power to convince Nillumbik shire that they must act to protect and retain the Panton Hill Preschool, which is currently under threat of…
Mr GEPP (Northern Victoria): The West Gate Bridge spans the 2.5 kilometres of the Yarra River that separates Melbourne’s western suburbs from the CBD. It is one of Australia’s biggest cable-stayed girder bridges and is used by 160 000 vehicles each day. With its distinctive curving shape the West Gate is instantly recognisable as one…
GEPP (Northern Victoria) (10:37): I rise to speak on Mr Davis’s motion today. I must admit I am not quite certain where to start. I will of course talk about the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee and some of the things that have been going on over recent weeks or maybe the mistruths that have…