It is a pleasure to rise in support of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Bill 2024. From the outset I would like to thank the Attorney-General in the other place. Her team has put tremendous work into this piece of legislation, and I trust that it will make a positive impact on Victorians.
In debating this bill, it would be remiss of me not to mention the significant investments of this Allan Labor government into both our health and our policing sectors. The importance of supporting our police in their duties and looking after Victorians is not lost on us, and we have invested some $4.5 billion into Victoria Police. This makes a practical difference on the ground, with more than 3600 new police officers sworn in, protecting our communities. These officers graduate at the incredible Victoria Police Academy. This magnificent facility is located in the heart of my electorate along View Mount Road in Glen Waverley. I recently had the pleasure of joining the Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and the Attorney-General in the other place at the academy last week to look at the centre for family violence to learn about the incredible work that goes on there. I thank the ministers for their generous time and look forward to continuing to work together in ensuring that the Glen Waverley district is a safe and vibrant community.
Much is said about crime and youth justice, and I want to make a specific point about this topic. The vast majority of young people who commit crimes are suffering from mental health illness, come from an unstable upbringing or are in financial distress. The way in which we deal with these individuals should always ensure that whilst appropriate punishments are handed out, we make every effort to ensure that they do not live a life of crime. We must do everything in our power to give every child, no matter their background, a hope that tomorrow will be a better day, and we must give them hope that they can get an education, that they can get a good job and that they can live a successful and fulfilling life away from crime. The Premier and many members have on multiple occasions stressed this point, and I also wish to add my voice to this in relation to this bill, as it seeks to improve our justice system.
It is imperative that we work closely with the doctors, teachers, carers, support workers and everyone on the ground to guide our young people onto a path where their sense of belonging is with responsible role models and not criminal gangs. I cannot accept that we should put a blanket label on children who have committed a crime, some still in primary school. They deserve a chance to turn their life around and learn right from wrong and create a better future for themselves. I would ask members opposite to think about the long-term benefits for our state. Instead of a lifetime of jumping from prisons to correctional facilities, these kids could live a life contributing to society. To show empathy in working with our youth who are troubled and unwell is not an endorsement or a condoning of their crimes – criminal behaviour is completely unacceptable, and it must be dealt with accordingly – it is rather the opposite. As wrong behaviour is reprimanded, they are encouraged to go down a different route. I strongly believe that good governments can both condemn bad behaviour and find positive pathways for troubled children to follow.
The other component of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Bill 2024 concerns how the VIFM can improve its service delivery in regard to our medical and health sectors. This government’s record of strengthening our hospitals and healthcare system cannot be understated, specifically in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The most recent budget entailed an overall package of $572.5 million for the Monash Medical Centre at Clayton. These major works will include an expansion of the emergency department, a new intensive care unit, birthing suites and operating rooms, and this will provide an additional capacity of 7500 more surgeries and 2400 more births annually. This is especially important for residents in the Glen Waverley electorate, as they directly benefit from having such a world-class medical facility nearby. Further evidence of this government’s commitment in backing in our hospital system is the fact that since we have come into government we have recruited more than 5000 additional doctors and 13,000 additional nurses.
I must also mention the Allan Labor government’s funding of the priority primary care centre clinics in filling the complete void left by the federal Liberal government. This Labor government stepped in to once again look after the wellbeing of Victorians – and a special shout-out to the incredible team at the Glen Waverley Priority Primary Care Centre. It is a privilege that we have a free high-quality medical care facility in our community.
In specifically referring to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Bill 2024, I make a special mention to this government’s investing in a local mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility down there in Clayton. Victorians did it tough during COVID’s one-in-100-year pandemic. We all felt the brunt of strict but necessary measures to keep everyone safe. I distinctly remember we were promised in Victoria that our pathway out of the lockdown was to reach a vaccination threshold, and yet the Morrison government stole our share of vaccines and gave them to New South Wales.
Of course the purpose of this project is not to protect ourselves from terrible governments in Canberra; it is a significant investment to have sovereign vaccine manufacturing capacity in our state. This creates Victorian jobs, boosts the economy, improves research and provides an incredible training opportunity for the next generation of scientists and healthcare professionals. Residents of the Glen Waverley district know that we are building a locally based world-class facility which will change lives for decades to come. Whilst I do not have time to go over every single investment in our healthcare and justice systems, they go to the crux of what this bill is about: replacing the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Act 1985 as the VIFM’s enabling legislation.
To understand this bill it is necessary to explore what the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine does. The VIFM provides independent forensic medical and scientific services to support the justice system. It is an incredibly important service as it assists victims, families, police and other judicial agencies, and through the changes made in this bill this government is continuing to support the VIFM in its endeavours to maintain its quality and expertise. Since its inception in 1985 the VIFM has consistently provided world-class forensic pathology and medical breakthroughs which have transformed the way it serves the community. This reputation has exceeded Victoria’s borders as it has expanded its knowledge nationwide and internationally by building partnerships in nations such as Bhutan, Ukraine, Lebanon and Armenia. The VIFM represents the best of Victoria’s innovation and research, and in keeping with this government’s proud record of investing in our healthcare and justice systems $93.1 million was provided in 2021 to expand capacity and improve its infrastructure and in 2023, $19.47 million was granted to transition to a new service delivery model. From investigating head injuries in sport to researching technology-facilitated sexual assault, this vital program must have the necessary legislative guidelines to ensure that we as a state can maximise its benefits.
This bill clarifies the VIFM’s objectives and goals to better align with its current role, as well as modernising its governance structure to ensure that it is fit for purpose and accountable. It also clarifies when the VIFM may or may not use or disclose personal information, and it adjusts the employment arrangements of staff working at the VIFM.
I want to stress the importance of ensuring that when significant pieces of legislation such as these are drafted, extensive consultation must occur, and I am happy to mention that the government worked closely with stakeholders in the development of this bill. The VIFM, the Coroners Court of Victoria, Victoria Police, government departments and the Aboriginal Justice Caucus were all consulted in the collaborative process which occurred.
Victorians deserve and rightly expect the government to invest in innovative methods and to build our sovereign research facilities as well as to expand capacity in both our judicial and healthcare sectors, and that is why I am proud to be part of the Allan Labor government, which does just that. I again thank the minister and her team for their efforts in preparing this important piece of legislation, and I commend this bill to the house.
