Brunswick Labor.net

We have had in the northern suburbs a spate of incidents with rooming houses and illegal boarding houses. Last night Carlo Carli riased the issue in Parliament and sought stronger legislation to protect the vulnerable.

Mr CARLI (Brunswick) -- I wish to raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Consumer Affairs. I would like the minister to ensure greater protection for overseas students in the housing rental market.

There was a case in Melbourne earlier this year when Nepalese students were cramped into three houses. One of the houses, a three-bedroom house in Coburg, was set up for 48 students; another for 28 students; and another for 18 students.

These were appalling conditions and showed extreme exploitation by the owner of those properties, who was also of Nepalese origin. It was a terrible situation.

I understand the government is giving greater protection to overseas students in terms of rental properties, particularly properties associated with student accommodation and particular educational institutions.

What I am asking for is greater protection through the residential accommodation strategy to ensure that we have changes to the Residential Tenancies Act so that the phrase 'fit and habitable purpose' is put into the act. There should also be more intervention powers for the director of consumer affairs to ensure that we can deal with these incredibly appalling cases where overseas students who come with very little resources are heavily exploited.

They are vulnerable people. They are often exploited by people who are from a similar or the same ethnic background but who turn out to be incredibly exploitative. In the Coburg cases, the council raided the properties and found they were filthy. The conditions were terrible.

The students were housed in dormitory-style rooms where mattresses were stacked from the floor to the ceiling. These were not fit conditions.

There is a responsibility on both the Australian and Victorian governments to act to protect international students. They are of enormous importance to us; they are certainly economically important but also important in terms of the life that they give to the city. It is also important that we deal with unscrupulous landlords, so I ask the minister to act to ensure that the legislation and the ability for Consumer Affairs Victoria to intervene is made stronger.

Melbournians, both households and businesses, are being asked to further reduce their water use to avoid stage 4 water restrictions.

Target 155 will commence on 1 December, with progress reported weekly.

The campaign will include print, radio and television advertisements, an information pack for all Melbourne households and a new website, which will provide water saving tips and help individuals to track their water consumption.

The more I examine the greens transport plan the more I am convinced that it is a plan to make the transport rich, richer and the transport poor, poorer.

But consider, overlay areas with a high green vote say (20% or more) and these are the transport rich areas.

So how is this plan not a pig barrel of pork?

"The Greens transport plan is a wacky grab bag of silly ideas."

Labor supported candidate for South Ward, Christopher Anderson said the Greens have failed to develop sensible transport policy.

"There is no overall strategy. No commitment to improving transport in the transport poor areas of Moreland. And no understanding of the complexities of a modern transport system."

"What we need in Brunswick is not pie in the sky plans but more trams, more trains, better bus frequencies, as well as better bicycle and walking infrastructure. The Greens transport paper fails on this measure"

“The Moreland Greens can’t deliver this plan. Local Government doesn’t run trains, trams or buses.”

“Voters need to know that this plan is a con.”

 Last night, I attended a fundraiser for Enver Erdogan, one of Labor's exciting young candidates in the North West Ward.

I have known Enver for a number of years and he is a committed young progressive. He has cut his teeth on university politics, has been heavilly involved in state and federal campaigns, and is a lifelong Moreland resident.

When Enver talks about a fresh approach, it isn't just a form of words - its part of his nature. He has a solid, grounded, passion for working people. His father is a long time union activist, and Enver, as an economics graduate, understands the importance of work and dignity to the working class.

Carlo Carli MP, spoke at the gathering and spoke about the importance of grassroots politics to working people. He told us it was about whether kids will be able to play cricket or soccer this year, whether seniors can cook their meals at the senior citizens club, or whether families can save on their groceries bills by having enough water to grow vegies at home.

This is the politics that Labor stands for. And its the politics that Enver will bring to council.

So if your a voter in Oak Park, Pascoe Vale, Glenroy or Hadield, Enver Erdogan is a candidate you should consider voting for.

Immediate action is needed to stop high rise towers in Brunswick, according to Labor supported candidate for South ward, Christopher Anderson.

“Twelve, Fourteen and Fifteen storey buildings are not medium density.”

“Brunswick is a medium density suburb, and it should remain a medium density suburb,” Mr. Anderson said.

“Whether it’s the proposal for a fourteen storey building on Albert Street, or the towers proposed for the bottom of Lygon Street, we need action to prevent towers of such volume happening.”

Mr. Anderson has called on council to act and ask the State Government for interim height controls.

“If council adopts the Brunswick Structure Plan at its October meeting, it can ask the State Government for height controls at the same time.”
“This will rein in the high rise proposals and limit height across Brunswick.”

“I am very confident that the State Government will agree to impose interim height controls.”

“More needs to be done to protect the amenity and character of Brunswick.”

More information:

• Moreland Tower Battle Starts [Leader, 1 Sept]
  

 Mr CARLI (Brunswick) — This Friday I will be attending the presentation night for the Brunswick Zebras junior soccer club, the largest soccer club in my electorate and certainly the largest soccer club in the Moreland area. It is a big occasion for a really successful junior soccer club. It was founded in 1947, when Italian immigrants founded the Juventus club. However, over time the club broke away from the senior club and specialised in juniors — and it is increasingly focusing on girls and women.

Victoria is at the forefront of the education revolution, with a bold, five-year education reform agenda designed to deliver excellence in schools across the State and give young Victorians every opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Better leadership throughout schools, better support for parents to involve them in their child’s learning and a restructure of school networks statewide will be the drivers for future excellence in education in Victoria.

Today Jacinta Allan, Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation, along with the Premier, announced Securing jobs for your future: Skills for Victoria - a $316 million package that will create more than 170,000 additional training places over the next four years.

This represents the single biggest boost to investment ever made in our skills system and introduces the most significant reform in decades.

Securing Jobs For Your Future includes the Victorian Training Guarantee - an Australian first. The Victorian Training Guarantee entitles all Victorians access to post-school qualifications which they can access at any stage of their adult lives. This sees Government committing to support the training of every eligible Victorian that wants to train for the first time, retrain at higher levels or boost their existing qualifications.

The full document and a series of fact sheets can be downloaded from www.skills.vic.gov.au.

Patronage on Melbourne’s public transport network has hit a record high with 450.8 million passenger trips made in the past financial year a record high driven by growth of 12.7 per cent with trams and buses achieving 158.3 million trips and 91.3 million trips respectively.

Council is considering spending tens of millions of dollars on a new sports hub on industrial land adjacent to Clifton Park.

 This may lead to the relocation of existing sporting clubs to the proposed new location. What will be the effect on your local community if this occurs?

Moreland Council has prepared a draft Brunswick Structure Plan to guide the development of Brunswick over the next 22 years. The structure plan includes the picture below.

What are the implications of buying more land and spending these resources for sport in Brunswick, and the make up of Gillon, Clifton and Brunswick Parks?

Moreland City Council is holding a series of community meetings and opportunities for people to express their views about the redevelopment of the Brunswick Baths on:

A stall will also be set up at Barkly Square Shopping Centre to provide the opportunity to discuss views with the planning team on;

Since the release of the East West Needs Assessment Study Report there has been a vigorous debate over its recommendations.

There is a very strong community view that:

• Action is needed to meet demand for sustainable transport services
• Action is needed to address social disadvantage
• Action is needed to ensure that the transport sector makes a contribution to meeting ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets
  

Our community has told us via public meetings, conversations in the shops, on the street corners, via phone, letter and email and on the internet that their priority is for a better sustainable transport network. They want better public transport networks that provide real access and choice. They want better walking and cycling infrastructure to cater for people who walk and cycle to work, to shop and to socialise.

The Brunswick community will have the opportunity to participate in a live, online forum about Sir Rod Eddington’s report into Melbourne’s east-west transport needs.



On Friday 11 July, the Government will lead a 2.5 hour, online discussion about recommendations in Sir Rod Eddington’s report – Investing in Transport.

In developing the best transport plan for the community, the government has said it wants to hear from those people who cycle to work, drive across town and catch trains, trams and buses.

To participate register on the Premier's website, www.premier.vic.gov.au

Carlo Carli MP has welcomed the release of the draft Garnaut Climate Change Review report today.

The tenor of the report is clear - that as a country we need to act and address climate change.

However, we need to have a clear understanding of the implications of the changes that are coming such as an Emissions Trading System.

We need to ensure a pathway to a low emissions future while protecting communities – especially low income households –  against the negative effects of a new system.

I urge everyone to read the report, and get involved in the debate.