THE Victorian parliament “must come back to regional Victoria”, according to Jade Benham.
The new Member for Mildura, an Opposition MP, said the Labor government had this week voted down a motion that would have brought both houses of the state legislature back to regional Victoria for the first time in nine years.
Ms Benham said holding regular sittings across Victoria would give regional communities the opportunity to see parliament in action, and highlight issues affecting their areas.
“Our electorate deserves to have their voices heard, yet there hasn’t been a regional sitting for both the upper and lower house since 2014,” she said.
“It would also give every member of parliament the chance to witness our state’s crumbling roads firsthand, the stress of growing household bills and the impact of the health crisis that grips our regional communities.
“But it seems Daniel Andrews cannot look regional Victorians in the eye after he’s starved our community of vital services and investment.”
The Legislative Council has previously held sittings in Ballarat, Benalla, Colac, Lakes Entrance, Bendigo and Bright.
“Parliament must come back to regional Victoria. Our communities deserve to have their concerns heard,” Ms Benham said.
