Brunswick Labor.net

Speech to Parliament, Wednesday April 9th...

Mr CARLI (Brunswick) -- I wish to congratulate the City of Moreland for staging on Sunday, 13 April, the second Cyclovia event. Cyclovia was first staged in Moreland in 2006, and it involves closing Sydney Road to cars for 4 hours between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. Basically it allows locals to walk, cycle, push the pram, rollerblade or take whatever other means of active transport they choose. It is really a celebration of reclaiming the streets, promoting health and promoting active forms of transport.


The movement has become worldwide. It started 30 years ago in Colombia, and it has now spread to countries like France, Italy and beyond, and obviously it has arrived in Moreland. It is a local event which tries to emphasise the importance to people's health of being active in their choice of transport, and which celebrates modes of transport other than the motor vehicle. It is an event which is designed not to totally close off Moreland from traffic, and obviously there are other roads that are made available for cars, but it certainly allows Sydney Road to be a great celebration point.


Moreland is the centre of the renaissance of cycling. My electorate of Brunswick has the highest proportion of people commuting to work in Melbourne. Many people now travel using bicycles.

_{The following speech is due to be delivered at the Fabian Society on March 5, 2008.}

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Congestion is an accepted part of life in large cities. It always has been. Ancient Romans complained about congestion, and Londoners in the 17th century had similar complaints. And with half the world’s population now living in urban environments it is part of our modern experience. We deal with it by adapting, and when it becomes unacceptable by using modes of sustainable transport – trains, trams, buses, bikes or feet. Or we make decisions to defer our trip or change how we do things.

We can respond to congestion in a number of ways. Either by building more road space, or promoting modal shift to public transport, walking and cycling or we can use existing road space more efficiently.

Mr CARLI (Brunswick) -- Brunswick Secondary College had some fantastic successes at the grand final of the 2007 Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. It was an enormous success by Brunswick Secondary College. I know of the Acting Speaker's long association and that of his family with Brunswick Secondary College. This is very good news. This school had terrific success in a competition with metropolitan, regional and independent schools and students from all over the state. It is in fact the largest youth performing art program in Australia, and Brunswick did extremely well. It won awards for choreography, for stage use, for performance skills, for concept, for drama, for design and function, and for visual enhancement, lighting and design, and it won the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge entertainment award. It was an enormous success.

I congratulate Catherine Weatherhead and all the team and all the students on this fantastic result. It is much appreciated by the school community at Brunswick Secondary College and, I must say, by the local community. It was a terrific night and a terrific event. We are already looking forward to the Rock Eisteddfod for 2008 and further success for Brunswick Secondary College.

Last week Moreland City Council launched the Coburg Initiative, a $1 billion plan for the urban renewal of central Coburg. Feedback from this has been almost universally positive and Coburg residents in particular have shown themselves ready to engage and get involved in making their suburb a better place to live.

Below the fold is a speech given to Parliament on the 31st of October regarding this project.

The Melbourne and Olympic Parks Amendment Bill is being debated in Parliament. The Bill makes some changes to facilitate the construction of Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium next to the current Olympic Park and will be used by Football and Rugby.

On Thursday 12 July Carlo Carli spoke to an Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission Forum on the Charter of Human Rights & Responsabilities.

Below the fold is his speech on the role of the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee in scrutiny of legislation and of our human rights.

In periods of adversity communities pull together, and that is exactly what has been happening in Moreland amongst the 12 soccer clubs in the area. Those clubs have now established the Moreland football forum. Over the summer only four soccer pitches were being watered, and basically a number of clubs did not have any facilities, any grounds or any training areas. The teams and the clubs came together and started to share grounds and support each other in a period of adversity. They are also providing a unified voice to deal with the council to ensure that there is a contingency plan for watering next season that will sustain the various clubs.

The clubs are numerous. There are 12 clubs in the Moreland area.

I did a little estimate and found that there are 149 teams, with something around 2500 players; the vast majority are juniors; women and girls are the fastest growing component, which is growing at an exponential rate; and there is also all the growth that followed the World Cup and the success of the Socceroos.

The 12 clubs have set aside their sporting rivalries to work together in a common cause. They are working together in a time of adversity to ensure the viability and sustainability of world football in the Moreland area. I congratulate all 12 clubs for their willingness to work together.

Together with Christopher Anderson in my office I have written a submission to the Eddington Review opposing any proposed cross city tunnel. This tunnel could have serious environmental, social and economic consequences which will seriously effect the liveability of inner Melbourne.

I argue that it is not feasible to build our way out of congestion. We need to invest in alternative modes to meet the transport and freight task.

My submission can be viewed here.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week the Legislative Assembly debated the Infertility Treatment Amendment Bill, also known as the Stem Cell Bill in the press.

Below the fold you will find Carlo Carli's contribution but you can also follow the debate by downloading Hansard from www.parliament.vic.gov.au

In the recent State Election campaign the Bracks Labor Government rejected Howard's vision of a Nuclear Australia.

To help protect Victorians from the Howard Government imposing nuclear power on Victoria, the Bracks Labor Government has put forward amendments to the current law that outlaws nuclear activities in Victoria. In the future an amendment to permit nuclear power stations will require a plebiscite of the Victorian people before it is successful.

Below the fold is Carlo's speech on the issue.

Last night Carlo Carli MP made a short speech to Parliament regarding the Brunswick Baths.

In the speech Carlo indicated his support for any funding application Council might make for the State Government to contribute a proportionate amount for any upgrade of the Brunswick Baths.


The full text of the speech is below the fold.

On Friday I was on a panel at Swinburne University addressing the issues of dual citizenship. Below the fold is a copy of my contribution to the issue

Last night I called upon Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs, Jacinta Allan to improve training opportunities for textile workers - and more particularly outworkers - in Parliament's adjournment debate.

In 2003 the Bracks Government passed the Outworkers (Improved Protection Act) which increases the entitlements of outworkers and provides a simple low-cost process to recover money owing. The Act also gives outworkers more rights such as:
- Long Service Leave
- Paid Public Holidays
- Occupational Health and Safety

The speech is over the fold.

Parliament is considering the Transport (Taxi Cab Accredition and other Amendments) Bill, which seeks to improve standards in the taxi industry.

Carlo has been involved in the Bracks Government's Taxi Reform Package of which this legislation is part of. The legislation mandates accreditation for taxi operators and other consequential amendments.

An implementation working party has overseen the reforms. This group is chaired by the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Carlo Carli MP, and includes representatives from the Victorian Taxi Association, the Victorian Taxi Operators Group, the Transport Workers Union and the Victorian Taxi Directorate.

Over the fold is Carlo's speech on this bill.

Today I addressed the Victorian Community Transport Conference in Richmond and launched the Victorian Operational Guidelines for Community Transport Manual.

My speech is over the fold.