Latest news with #VictorianGovernment
ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Victorian Government under pressure to reform childcare sector
The Victorian Government is under pressure to take immediate action on the state's childcare sector as parliament returns - with the Opposition and Greens both wanting a stronger response in the wake of a story which has shocked the nation.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Victoria says $776 million treaty negotiations claim ‘cherry-picked', but $308 million spent since 2020
The Victorian government has hit back at 'cherry-picked analysis' that claimed it has spent more than $776 million on treaty negotiations since 2016. The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), a conservative think tank, on Sunday published analysis of spending items in Victorian government budget documents relating to treaty or 'self-determination' initiatives. The report claimed Victoria had spent $776.2 million on programs related to the development of a state treaty since 2016, with $100.6 million committed in the 2026 financial year alone and $220 million in the first two full financial years following the defeat of the Voice referendum. 'This is cherry-picked analysis from a Liberal Party-aligned think tank,' a Victorian government spokesperson said. 'If you listen to the people directly affected by policies, you get better outcomes — that's common sense. Treaty is about making a better and fairer state for all Victorians — negotiations are underway and we look forward to bringing Treaty to the Parliament.' The government would not confirm the IPA's figures, but noted $308 million had been invested into the Treaty since the 2020-21 budget, according to publicly available annual reports. Analysis of annual reports and budget papers by the Herald Sun put the figure at $382.4 million over the past 10 years. Some of that funding has gone into setting up the Treaty Authority, an 'independent umpire' created by the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria and the State of Victoria to oversee the process. The Herald Sun reported in 2023 that members of the Treaty Authority panel could be paid a salary of up to $380,000 per year plus expenses if they worked full-time. The Victorian government first committed to advancing a treaty with Indigenous Victorians in 2016. Negotiations formally began in November 2024, and Victoria plans to finalise a treaty by the end of the 2026 financial year. Victoria would be the first Australian jurisdiction to negotiate a formal treaty with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. But the IPA said Victorians remained largely in the dark about what a treaty would entail, despite the hundreds of millions of dollars spent and hundreds of meetings held since 2017 in preparation for negotiations. 'Despite the Victorian government spending in excess of $776 million on secret treaty negotiations, mainstream Victorians are none the wiser as to what special rights and reparations it will grant to some Victorians based solely on race,' IPA research fellow Margaret Chambers said in a statement. The report noted that between July 2016 and June 2025, 727 meetings had been held by the Victorian government in relation to the development of a treaty — but just four public statements had been issued and the 'substance of these negotiations remains largely undisclosed'.That number included meetings between First Peoples' negotiating parties and the state of Victoria to negotiate or prepare for Treaty agreements, and meetings with departments to support whole of Victorian government co-ordination and engagement in Treaty negotiations. 'The Victorian government is not being honest and upfront with Victorians about its plan to divide the community by race,' Ms Chambers said. 'With a treaty scheduled to be finalised in the next 12 months, and despite the volume of secret meetings over the past decade, very little is known about what this treaty will entail. 'Any treaty will fundamentally change Victoria's legal structure and will likely require already financially stretched Victorian taxpayers to pay billions of dollars to activists aligned to the Allan government. 'Yet, for a government which operates one of the most sophisticated and well-funded spin machines ever seen, just four statements, totalling 1588 words, have been released on the Allan government's plan to divide Victorians by race.' Recent IPA analysis claimed the monetary compensation, tax relief and litigation which would flow from a treaty in Victoria based on the landmark Yoorrook report would be in excess of $48 billion annually. 'Victorians voted against racial division at the Voice referendum,' Ms Chambers said. 'Jacinta Allan is demonstrating complete and utter contempt for the Victorian people, and our democracy, by pursuing this treaty that will divide and cripple Victoria. 'With all the problems that Victoria faces, the last thing the community needs is a two-tiered legal system where some have special rights and get special government payments. Every Victorian should be treated equally under the law.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Victoria's trash is now Commonwelth Games treasure
What Victoria trashed is now treasured as a raft of nations pitch to host the Commonwealth Games after Scotland's saviours. As Glasgow prepares to host from July 23 next year, the Games has moved from peril to prospects as seven countries bid to host, but not Australia. Two years ago, Victoria's government reneged on hosting the 2026 Games in a shock that still rankles. "Obviously, try not to look too much back into the past," Australia's team chef de mission Petria Thomas told AAP. "But that disappointment of the Victorian government cancelling the Games, it's not going to fade quickly ... particularly in the way it was done as well." Victoria gave no warning to Games officials before, in July 2023, announcing they'd scrapped hosting. For the next "tumultuous" year, as Thomas put it, the future of event first staged in 1930 was threatened before Glasgow saved the Games. "Incredibly grateful and fortunate that the Scottish have stepped up to the mark here," Thomas said. "It was obviously highly disappointing that the Victorian government pulled out and it left the Commonwealth sport movement in a very difficult position. "It's fantastic that the Games will be on in Glasgow. "Obviously a little bit of a different look to them this time with fewer sports which is a shame. "But it's the reality of the position that the Commonwealth sport movement was put in, unfortunately." Beyond Glasgow, five nations including Olympic 2036 hopeful India, Canada and Nigeria have tabled bids to host the centenary 2030 Games. New Zealand is among two bidders for the 2034 version. All will be keen observers of Glasgow's pared-down Games featuring 10 sports, nine less than in 2022 in Birmingham. Trusty sources of Australian medals such as hockey, rugby sevens and diving have been chopped. But crucially for Australia's ambitions, 82 per cent of the nation's medal events in Birmingham remain on the Glasgow program. "We don't set specific medal targets," Thomas said. "But we don't shy away from the fact that we would like to finish on top of the medal tally. "To be honest, our Australian public expect the Australian team do well. "We will be doing everything we can to help our athletes across as many sports as possible win as many medals, and preferably gold ones - that's nothing to shy away from." The Glasgow program will feature athletics, swimming, 3x3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo. And Thomas expected almost all of Australia's big-name athletes to compete. Teenaged sprint sensation Gout Gout had initially been expected to prioritise the August 5-9 world junior titles in the United States, where he wants to emulate the incomparable Usain Bolt, who won the under-20 200m title back in 2002. But if the scheduling allows it, there is now every chance Gout could contest the Commonwealth 100m event in Glasgow, before jetting to the US for the 200m at the world juniors. "If you look at the past, Australians generally have wanted to compete at the Commonwealth Games because they know it's an amazing event and a special team to be a part of," Thomas said. "Of course we hope that all of our best athletes are there ... I am confident we will have our best athletes available." Four Glasgow venues will host sports and the Games won't be funded from the public purse. Victoria's government paid the Commonwealth Games Federation, since rebranded Commonwealth Sport, $380 million in compensation, with $200 million diverted to Glasgow.
Daily Telegraph
22-07-2025
- General
- Daily Telegraph
Mass bird deaths outside Melbourne shopping hub
A troubling spate of bird deaths at a suburban Melbourne shopping precinct has raised alarm among business operators and prompted urgent action from property managers, as fears grow over the health, safety and reputational risks to the local retail strip. New signage was installed around the Springvale South shopping centre last week, urging the public not to feed wild birds, just days after more than 150 corellas and pigeons were found dead or dying around the precinct. The birds are believed to have been deliberately poisoned, though an official investigation by the Victorian government is still underway. Wildlife authorities have ruled out avian influenza H5N1, and toxicology testing is now being conducted on dozens of bird carcasses collected alongside open bags of bread and seed left near retail entrances and car parks. The incident has sparked concern among business owners, with some questioning whether better waste control and tenancy guidelines might have prevented the chaos. Michelle Phillips, a wildlife rescuer who led the emergency response, welcomed the signage but said more needs to be done – including multilingual warnings – in a region where more than 70 per cent of residents speak a language other than English at home. 'There's definitely no need to feed them,' the South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter operator told Yahoo News. 'They survive quite happily on a natural diet.' While pigeons are still hanging around, locals are reporting corellas have vanished from the area. Most of the flock are now presumed dead, and Phillips describes it as 'a pretty sad situation'. 'Corellas that used to come to people's yards aren't coming anymore. The ones that survived have moved on,' she said. While well-meaning members of the public may have been leaving seed and bread to feed the birds, experts say this can encourage large congregations of wildlife, leading to droppings, noise complaints, and in worst-case scenarios – like this one – deaths from disease or poisoning. The situation has placed a spotlight on the role of shopping centre owners and commercial landlords in managing public spaces, including outdoor seating areas and shared car parks. On Thursday, more dead birds were discovered in nearby Dandenong, including several pigeons and one corella. The Conservation Regulator is continuing its investigation and is urging members of the public to come forward with any information. 'If you have any knowledge of either incident, please report it on 136 186 or call Crime Stoppers Victoria,' a Conservation Regulator spokesperson said. 'It's illegal and dangerous to poison wildlife, and we're calling on the community to come forward with any information they might have that will help us to track down whoever is responsible.'
The Guardian
16-07-2025
- The Guardian
Accused Melbourne childcare paedophile highlights need for national register of workers, education minister says
The federal education minister, Jason Clare, is calling for a national database of childcare workers and their employment histories - accessible at the press of a button- after revelations that alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked at more centres than initially thought. Detectives from the Victorian sexual crimes squad on Tuesday confirmed that four more childcare centres had been added to Brown's work history, along with additional employment dates at 10 other centres. This takes the current total of Brown's known childcare workplaces to 22, in addition to work at a children's occupational therapy service. As a result, health authorities have recommended about 800 additional children get tested for sexually transmitted infections. Speaking on Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Clare described the situation as a 'nightmare' for families. 'More parents are being put through the wringer – all the fear and anxiety that their kids might be sick – and all the trauma that kids have to go through,' he said. 'The Victorian government and authorities are doing everything they can to track the details of where he worked. 'But this highlights an example of why you need a database or a register, so you know where all childcare workers are and where they're moving from centre to centre. That's just one of the things that we need to do.' Clare said authorities 'should be able to press a button' and know Brown's work history. 'This is a live investigation, so let's park this individual case. We should have a system that tells us where all workers are, which centres they're working at, whether they're crossing individual borders,' he said. The Victorian government earlier this month announced it would develop its own childcare worker registration system as it waited for a national scheme to be established. It would also require all childcare centres to adopt the federal ban on personal devices by 26 September or face fines up to $50,000. At the time the reforms were announced, the state's minister for children, Lizzie Blandthorn, said national reforms were moving at a 'frustratingly slow' pace. Victoria police revealed at the start of July that Brown had been charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims in his care, aged between five months and two years old. Along with the health department, they worked to contact about 2,600 families with children who attended the centres were contacted, with 1,200 children likely to have direct contact with Brown advised to undergo screening for STIs. After Tuesday's update, this has now risen to almost 3,500 families contacted and 2,000 children recommended for testing. Police said establishing Brown's complete work history had been 'extremely complex' as childcare providers do not have centralised records. It meant detectives had to 'execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information.' Victoria has also announced a review into childcare safety in the state, which is being led by former South Australian premier, Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pamela White. It is considering whether CCTV should be mandated across centres. Childcare providers G8 and Affinity, which employed Brown, have said they would either implement or speed up the rollout of CCTV to all of their centres regardless of the inquiry's findings. Clare, who will introduce legislation to parliament when it next sits to cut funding to childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards, backed more CCTV. He said it would 'deter bad people from acting badly in our centres, but also help police with their investigations when the worst happens'. But Clare dismissed calls to bar men from working in the childcare industry altogether. 'Targeting blokes is not the solution. If we go back and have a look at examples of abuse and neglect in our centres, it's not just men, it's women as well,' he said.
