Here are my latest updates from Parliament and around the Brunswick electorate (Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Fitzroy North, Princes Hill & Carlton North).
In this month’s newsletter:
- Gone-ski: $2.4 billion cut from our public schools
- Safety on Ewing Street
- Supporting Our Local SES
- Where’s Victoria’s Climate Emissions data?
- E-Scooters deserve a place on our streets!
- Duplicating the upfield line
Missed the last newsletter? You can find it here if you’d like to read about our Brunswick Treaty Forum, the government’s unfortunate bail changes, Victoria’s climate strategy, and more.
Gone-ski: $2.4 billion from public schools
Earlier this month the Age revealed that the Victorian Labor Government quietly delayed reaching its Gonski funding agreement by three years, effectively cutting $2.4billion from Victorian public schools.
Victoria’s public schools are already the lowest funded in Australia, receiving thousands of dollars less per student in state and federal funding, and our teachers have the lowest wages of all states and territories.
The Gonski funding level dating from 2012, created a pathway to ensure schools are funded to achieve a basic educational standard; they currently receive less funding than required (although private schools already get that level of funding). Under the most recent agreement with the federal government, Victoria would have achieved this by 2028.
But The Age has seen cabinet-in-confidence documents showing that this state Labor government has quietly delayed the funds for three years to 2031.
This decision, made without any parliamentary or public scrutiny, means public schools in Victoria will receive at least $2.4 billion dollars less than expected over the next few years. These cuts are a betrayal of public school students, staff and families who expect their government to do much better. As the Australian Education Union puts it, funding delayed is funding denied.
This week my Greens colleagues and I secured a Parliamentary Inquiry into these cuts and the consequences on our schools – to reveal the real impact they will have. If we can keep the pressure on Labor, and show that the community cares, we can push them to reverse their cuts. Sign our open letter, and share it with your friends, family and school community.
Floating gas terminal approved off Victoria’s coast
Yesterday, the Victorian Labor Government approved Viva Energy’s floating gas terminal in Corio Bay, despite widespread opposition from climate experts, the Geelong community and environmentalists.
My Greens colleagues have been campaigning to put an end to this polluting project since 2022 due to the damage it will do to the climate and our health. The gas terminal will also likely require dredging which will devastate the beautiful local marine environment. There is absolutely no reason for this project to go ahead when we’re electrifying our homes and industry.
This announcement coming in the same week as the Federal Labor Government approved Woodside’s South West Shelf Gas expansion – which is set to pump 6.1 billion tonnes of carbon into our atmosphere – shows Labor’s total contempt for our environment. At this point, they may as well be the coalition.
It’s more important than ever to pressure the Victorian Government to reduce our emissions and stop new coal and gas projects. But how can we do that when we don’t know how much we’re emitting?
Where’s Victoria’s Climate Change Data?
Fossil fuel companies know exactly how much coal, petrol, diesel, and gas they sell, right down to the last tonne.
Meanwhile, we’re left dealing with the consequences: floods covering a region in Queensland twice the size of Victoria, and a drought tightening its grip on western Victoria.
Climate disasters aren’t a distant threat, they’re a regular headline.
But here in Victoria, our most recent emissions data is from 2022. It’s now 2025, and there’s still no sign of the data for 2023 and 2024.
So I asked the Minister for Climate Action in Parliament: when will we see the updated data?
Watch the minister’s response here.
The government talks a big game on ambitious emissions targets, but it keeps quietly expanding gas projects. Including yesterday’s announcement that Labor has approved a floating gas import terminal for Corio Bay, to prolong our use of gas in this state. And Victoria is still burning more than 100,000 tonnes of coal every day.
Federal emissions data is available online up to March 2024. But Victoria’s? Missing.
Right now, it seems like the government’s “ambitious targets” are more about spin than substance.
Real climate action isn’t just about targets, it’s about transparency.
Safety on Ewing Street
Do you live near or travel along Ewing Street, Brunswick?
We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey.
Request the installation of a red light camera on the Brunswick Road crossing
We have heard growing concerns about:
- Rat running, excessive traffic and speeding on Ewing Street.
- Safety at the T-intersections at both ends (Brunswick Street and Glenlyon Road).
- The ‘cage’ on Brunswick Road entering Ewing Street from the south end.
Brunswick Road is managed by the state, while Ewing Street falls under council responsibility. That’s why Merri-bek Councillor Liz Irvin and I want to hear your ideas and priorities for improving Ewing Street and the intersection.
Read more about the work we’ve been doing here.
Let’s work together for a safer Ewing Street!
Sign up to receive updates and get involved in the campaign to improve safety on Ewing Street.
Supporting our local SES
Last week, I visited the State Emergency Service (SES) Fawkner unit. SES volunteers respond to emergencies like floods, storms, earthquakes, and even the occasional thrill-seeking ferret.
The Fawkner unit covers Brunswick, including the Merri Creek, where they sometimes have to fish people out of flash floods. It’s an incredible organisation, run by dedicated volunteers who show up at all hours, even 3:00am, to help keep our community safe.
But here’s the problem. The Fawkner unit, like many SES units across Victoria, only receives less than half of the funding it needs from the state Government. And this is one of the better-resourced units.
They’re dealing with constant vehicle maintenance, soaring electricity bills, and a growing demand for their services. Climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent, which means they’re having their busiest years ever. But instead of more support, they’re being stretched even thinner.
The recently expanded Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund will help their finances, but they can always use more community support.
SES volunteers are there for us in an emergency. It’s time we showed up for them. You can support the SES by attending community events, making donations and even volunteering!
The tea on EVs
Earlier this month, my Greens colleague Katherine Copsy and I sat down for a cup of tea.
Upper house Greens MP, Kat Copsey, and I worked together to achieve a parliamentary inquiry into how electric vehicles can be used to support the electricity supply, and help, not hinder the transition from coal to renewables.
More and more inner city footpaths are being covered with extension cords as people try to charge their cars from home. And we need more options for people to charge at work, so they’re not drawing from the grid in the evenings when renewable power is scarce and demand is high.
E-Scooters deserve a place on our streets
E-scooters are here to stay, and that should be a good thing. They’re a fast, convenient way to bridge the gaps in our public transport network. I’ve used them myself. The other day, I grabbed a scooter on Nicholson Street to get to St George’s Rd. No parking hassles, just a quick trip that got me where I needed to go.
But the new Transport Legislation Amendment (Vehicle Sharing Scheme Safety and Standards) Bill is a half-measure. It sets some basic safety rules for share scooters but leaves it up to councils to decide if and how they allow them. Melbourne has banned them entirely. Yarra has priced them out with a 400 percent fee hike. We’re heading for a patchwork of rules, where you might ride a scooter down Lygon Street, only for it to switch off at the Yarra border.
This Bill treats e-scooters as a problem for councils to solve, but the chaos we’re seeing is a direct result of the state government’s failure to lead. Instead of creating a clear, consistent framework for safe scooter use across Victoria, it leaves councils to figure it out alone.
E-scooters can make getting around easier and greener, but only if we do it right. That means:
- Safe, protected lanes for bikes and scooters. Without them, scooters end up on footpaths, creating conflict with pedestrians.
- Dedicated parking bays, not footpaths cluttered with abandoned scooters. Wheelchair users shouldn’t have to dodge them.
- Clear, consistent rules so riders aren’t left guessing where they can ride or which company’s scooter will actually work.
This bill is a start, but it’s not enough. We need a state-wide approach that makes scooters a practical, safe option for everyone – not just a source of confusion. The Greens will keep pushing for smarter, safer transport that actually works.
Duplicating the Upfield Line
The Upfield train line has a problem. There’s just one track between Gowrie and Upfield, so only one train can run at a time. Commuters often wait 20 minutes or more.
The Government promised improvements. They planned a turnback at Gowrie but scrapped it. The state budget contains funding for increased off-peak services, but we’re still stuck with about three trains per hour on a line with more and more apartment towers and many residents who don’t want to use cars.
Back in 2016, the state set aside $5 million to study upgrades, including track duplication. That study finished in 2018, but the findings are still hidden. Locals asked for the report and got ignored.
I’m calling on the government to release those documents. We need track duplication, not more empty promises.
The Upfield Transport Alliance is clear:
- Increase capacity by 70% when the Metro Tunnel opens.
- Duplicate the Upfield line from Gowrie to Upfield, then to Craigieburn.
- Extend and electrify the line to Wallan.
- Guarantee a 10-minute service before the new activity centres open.
I’ll keep pushing for duplication on the Upfield line, and hold Labor to their promises.
What’s on in the neighbourhood
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may have noticed that I regularly post events and opportunities that are happening in the Brunswick area. Here’s my most recent post where you can find out about events and opportunities including film screenings, open mics, school holiday programs, comedy shows, and more, and you can always email me to suggest other events and opportunities you’d like me to share.
Thanks for getting this far! Remember, if there’s anything you want to raise with me, you can always get in touch with my office on [email protected] or (03) 9384 1241.
Until next time,
Tim
