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Parliament Resumes

February 27, 2017/0 Comments/in Blog, Latest News /by Suzanna Sheed

EDUCATION FUNDING

Last week, I visited five primary schools in the Shepparton District. It is so heartening to see the excellent work that our teachers do, often in circumstances where their buildings and grounds are less than satisfactory.

I have discovered that historically, schools in this electorate have been significantly underfunded for infrastructure spending.

I have called on the Government to investigate funding to replace many of the old and ageing buildings at our schools that are no longer fit for purpose.

LAW AND ORDER CONCERN

I will be visiting the Parkville Detention Centre on March 6, as we find further ways to divert our youth from entering the justice system.

We have great early intervention initiatives such as the Lighthouse Project and the Neighbourhood Schools Project, working towards this.

In the meantime the Victorian Government has appointed a former DPP and Supreme Court judge to review the bail system. On my request, that inquiry intends to visit Shepparton.

HOSPITAL REBUILD

The GV Health Community Advisory Group has had a busy start to the year, visiting the Bendigo and Wagga Hospitals along with our critical hospital staff .We have observed how they have gone about the building of their new hospitals.

However, I still strongly believe we must have space for a Mother Baby Unit in Shepparton.

We have among the lowest breast feeding rates, and the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Shepparton.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2017-02-27 03:40:082020-02-07 02:46:51Parliament Resumes

URGENT FUNDING NEEDED FOR SCHOOLS

February 23, 2017/0 Comments/in Media Releases /by Suzanna Sheed

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has pleaded with the Andrews Labor Government to inject desperately needed infrastructure funding into the electorate’s schools.

“I visited five primary schools in my electorate last week; many are in serious need of attention from the government,” Ms Sheed said.

“Historically, schools in the Shepparton district electorate have been significantly underfunded for infrastructure spending. Many of our school communities have to raise thousands of dollars for their own needs, having been overlooked by successive governments. It’s left many schools in my electorate in need of infrastructure investment.  Schools such as Orrvale, Zeerust and Bourchier Street are just a few, in need of new buildings,” Ms Sheed said.

“Meanwhile, there is a disturbing trend showing a significant decrease in enrolments in three of our secondary colleges between 2008 and 2014.

“I know we have principals and schools trying hard to get our kids up and through the school system, but the reality is, our VCE figures are not good at all, and we must do something about it,” she said.

“I have had a number of meetings with the Minister, his advisers and Education Department representatives to discuss these issues. I have also had broader discussions with many of my constituents who share these concerns.”

“We have many social challenges in our community.  We want to address disadvantage and inequality, and to demand from our government an equitable share of the resources for regional communities such as ours.

Our students must be our priority, and to achieve good educational outcomes there should be investment in suitable buildings.”

 

Ends

Media contact

Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

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https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2017-02-23 06:23:282020-02-07 02:45:46URGENT FUNDING NEEDED FOR SCHOOLS

INDEPENDENCE OF TWO HOUSES MUST REMAIN

February 10, 2017/0 Comments/in Media Releases /by Suzanna Sheed

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has voted to keep both Houses of Parliament independent of each other.

A motion introduced in Parliament this week, sought to ensure the Legislative Council could not order an Ombudsman investigation into a member of the Legislative Assembly, and vice versa.

Ms Sheed expressed her dismay at how quickly the political parties are prepared to trash the long-term rules of Parliamentary procedure for political point scoring.

“Since early times and to the present date it has been accepted that each house of Parliament is entirely independent of each other and neither has any dominance over the other. For an Upper House Greens MP to initiate a resolution to investigate members of the Lower House breaches this long term convention. I voted for the motion to uphold the integrity of our Parliament”, Ms Sheed said.

“Victorian people actually respect the Parliament of Victoria. They want it to be a secure place. They want to have some trust in it,” she said.

“On two occasions last year the parties were prepared to trash the conventions of Parliament for their own ends. The first was the inordinately long suspension of the Special Minister of State and the second the delay in convening a joint sitting of the Houses of Parliament to swear in Luke O’Sullivan following the resignation of Damien Drum,” she said.

This latest move comes following an investigation of the Labor Party, into the use of staff allocations during the 2014 election.

Ms Sheed said while she condemns rorting of public funds in any way, this issue was being used by the political parties to further their political objectives.

 “To date there have been two inquiries of some sort into it by the police and KPMG.”

In neither case was any further action recommended.

“The principle is about the exclusive cognisance of the Houses of Parliament,” Ms Sheed said.

Ends

Media contact

Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

Click here for PDF

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2017-02-10 03:20:482020-02-07 02:45:45INDEPENDENCE OF TWO HOUSES MUST REMAIN

EARLY INTERVENTION THE NEXT STEP IN YOUTH DETENTION CRISIS

February 10, 2017/0 Comments/in Media Releases /by Suzanna Sheed

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed will be visiting the Parkville Youth Detention Facility next month.

It’s part of a continued push for funding for Shepparton’s early intervention services, including the Lighthouse Project and Neighbourhood Schools Project in the wake of Victoria’s youth detention crisis.

In Parliament this week, Ms Sheed has questioned the Andrews Labor Government about its proposal to stop the next cycle of youth detainees.

“In the two years I have been the elected representative for Shepparton District I have spoken on a number of occasions about the hard work of our local community initiatives.

Welfare workers can often identify the next group of youths who will be filling the states Youth Detention facilities,” she said.

The latest Youth Parole Board report noted that of 176 young people on sentence or remand in October 2015:

  • 63% were victims of abuse, trauma or neglect
  • 62% had previously been suspended or expelled from school
  • 45% had been previously involved with child protection

“Building more prisons and perhaps reforming the bail laws may be necessary in the short term but everything points to early intervention with high risk children as the most effective way of reducing the numbers in our youth detention centres,” Ms Sheed said.

Meanwhile, the Victorian Ombudsman has this week, tabled her report on the state’s youth justice facilities.

It refers to Department of Health and Human Services figures which indicate on January 10, 2017 there were 190 young people detained in youth justice facilities – 91 on remand, and 99 sentenced.

“The same report indicates only about 20% of those remanded are sentenced to custody, so almost half of those in our youth detention centres are waiting for their cases to be heard.

We must know what steps the government is taking to deal with what are clearly significant delays in bringing these cases before the courts in a timely manner,” Ms Sheed said.

In Parliament yesterday, Premier Daniel Andrews listed the funding the Government has provided to playgroups, kindergartens and family violence, however acknowledged there is more work to be done.

“I am the first to say we can do better, and that is exactly what we will do for these families, and for the potential victims of anyone who makes that bad call, who goes the wrong way, who becomes an antisocial person, or who becomes a threat and a risk to the safety of the community,” he said.

Ends

Media contact

Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

Click here for PDF

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2017-02-10 03:04:262020-02-07 02:45:44EARLY INTERVENTION THE NEXT STEP IN YOUTH DETENTION CRISIS

BOURKE ST CONDOLENCES

February 8, 2017/0 Comments/in Media Releases /by Suzanna Sheed

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has expressed her condolences to the families and friends of the Melbourne Bourke Street victims of January 20, in Parliament this week.

“While Shepparton is two hours from Melbourne, we are certainly not immune to the effects of such a tragedy in our state’s capital, and we could not help but know the deep loss and grief caused to so many.

Our thoughts remain with those who are still in hospital, and those suffering from the after-effects of such a traumatic situation,” Ms Sheed said.

“I walked down Bourke Street in the days following this horrific event, and visited the massive floral tribute which had quickly grown on the steps of the GPO Building, and further along the street.

I also attended the public vigil in Federation Square on behalf of my electorate. Despite being a very hot day large crowds had gathered to pay their respects. It was a very strong feeling all community togetherness,” she said.

“Melbourne is hurting. But I can assure you, the Shepparton District is hurting with you,” Ms Sheed said.

Ends

Media contact

Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

Click here for PDF

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2017-02-08 04:39:332020-02-07 02:45:43BOURKE ST CONDOLENCES

GMID REPORT MUST BE CONSIDERED

February 3, 2017/0 Comments/in Media Releases /by Suzanna Sheed

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed said she and fellow members of the GMID Water Leadership Forum were very disappointed with what they saw and heard at the MDBA drop in held in Moama yesterday.

She criticised the format of the event saying the drop-in session resulted in there being no opportunity to hear from MDBA leaders as to what their plans were, and deprived community members of the opportunity to ask questions and hear the concerns of fellow attendees.

“It is a divide-and-conquer process. We must be able to hear what our fellow members of the public think about what is happening across the Basin.”

Speaking on behalf of the GMID Water Leadership Forum, Ms Sheed says she was shocked at the dismissive approach taken by the Murray Darling Basin Authority towards the GMID socio economic report, released in October last year.

“I am outraged at the Basin Authority’s high-handed dismissal of our report,” Ms Sheed said.

“It has been undertaken by a reputable firm in RMCG, an organisation with a deep understanding of the water industry across the Southern Basin. This company has been further engaged by other in the Southern Basin to carry out similar socio-economic studies, given the absence of the Basin Authority in this space. Our local communities have had to fund studies such as this and it comes as no surprise that the findings so far are in accordance with our worst fears.

“Our study shows $550milllion has already been lost in production every year since 2012, and an estimated 2000 jobs will disappear by the time the Basin Plan is implemented to its capacity by 2020.

“If we suffer another drought season, part of the GMID will be shut down, driving farmers out of business.

“I am amazed the Basin Authority could so easily write off a report which highlights such damage to the GMID,” Ms Sheed said.

The MDBA is now planning its own review of the Southern Basin.

“The current terms of reference for the Basin Authority’s review appear to be very narrow, but they’ve only been outlined to GMID forum members, we have not seen them. We have been told that the review will not consider the impact of the loss of the 450GL. This is unacceptable.

“It was most concerning that various members of the GMID Water Leadership Forum who attended the Moama session heard conflicting and unclear advice as to what the MDBA was proposing in relation to its review,” she said.

“I understand 30 towns in the Southern Basin will be investigated, and to date, there has been no consultation with the GMID Water Leadership Forum or other stakeholders, so far as we know. It will be of critical importance that any review includes those regions most affected by the rollout of the plan to date.

“The Southern Basin is very different from the Northern Basin and it is regions more than towns that should be focused on. For instance the GMID is known to have suffered seriously and should be included as a region, as should the whole of the footprint of Murray Irrigation in southern New South Wales. Both these regions have strongly advocated for changes to the plan. It is time they were listened to,” Ms Sheed said.

Ends

Media contact

Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

Click here for PDF

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2017-02-03 05:32:092020-02-07 02:45:24GMID REPORT MUST BE CONSIDERED

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5 Vaughan Street, Shepparton
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