Steve in Parliament

Below are sitting dates for the Victorian Parliament & some of Steve's most recent speeches.

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28 May 2008

2008 Teaching Awards: James Penson

Mr HERBERT (Eltham) -- I rise to congratulate Mr James Penson from Greenhills Primary School for winning the Victorian Teachers Credit Union outstanding primary school teacher award. Winning this award means James has been recognised by his peers as a teacher who is prepared to go beyond what is expected of him and has made a major effort to make education enjoyable and rewarding for his students. It is teachers like James who students will remember in their later years. They will recall fond memories of a teacher who was willing to push the boundaries of education to make it fun and exciting to learn.

Whilst this award recognises James's innovative and dedicated approach to education, it also recognises the efforts of a terrific team of teachers.

I have visited Greenhills primary on many occasions, and I have been immensely impressed by the school's leadership, by its outstanding educational results, by its genuine community engagement and by the passion the entire school community brings to education. This award recognises not only James's educational efforts but those of all the outstanding teachers who are creating enjoyable and rewarding experiences for thousands of students. As part of this award James has won a well-deserved grant of $10 000, which will allow him to do further study, travel or undertake professional development courses. My own daughter, Eliza, who attended James's previous school, Ivanhoe East, asked that I pass on her congratulations and those of all previous students to a teacher who is truly outstanding. Congratulations to James. We all hope he continues to grow as an educator and to provide a great education to thousands of students well into the future.

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28 May 2008

Schools: vocational education and training

Mr HERBERT (Eltham) -- My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister advise the house how the Brumby government is taking action in vocational education and training to expand the choices available in our schools?

Ms PIKE (Minister for Education) -- I thank the member for Eltham for his question. The Brumby government is continuing to invest in improving the skills of our students and giving them more flexibility and options to genuinely explore different pathways. This is particularly true in the case of vocational education and training (VET).

One of the great news stories from the budget this year is that the funding for vocational education and training in schools has more than doubled.

We have provided a $7.3 million budget boost to encourage more Victorian students to take up vocational education and training programs to help them to become job ready while they are still at school. The government's funding for the VET in Schools program has grown from $2 million in 1999 to more than $14 million in 2008, and this year's budget boost considerably improves that funding. These funds in particular will focus on areas of skill shortages, such as building construction and automotive studies. These students are part of our future workforce, and we want to ensure they stay at school for as long as they possibly can, not only so that will they be given the opportunity to develop these vocational skills but also so they can continue with the other aspects of their schooling and get a broad, well-rounded educational experience.

The VET in Schools program has really grown in popularity, with more than 330 Victorian government secondary schools currently offering around 30 VET subjects, including business administration and engineering studies.

All of these can contribute to students' tertiary entrance score. The number of certificate enrolments in the VET in Schools program in government schools has more than tripled from more than 10 000 in 1999 to nearly 32 000 young people undertaking vocational programs in 2007. It is a really big growth area, and our funding has helped to promote that growth and give students this greater level of opportunity. It is great for the students, but it is great for our economy as well, because we are taking very positive steps in doing something about meeting the skill shortage areas. I think it is a wonderful example of the way the government is using innovative programs to develop opportunities and choices for young people within our education system.

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8th May 2008

Eltham electorate: Parliament House bowls day

Mr HERBERT (Eltham) -- I rise to congratulate the Eltham Recreation Bowling Club on its historic victory at the recent bowls competition on the greens of Parliament House. Each parliamentary term the Eltham bowling club, the Montmorency Bowling Club and the Heidelberg Golf Club/Bowling Club play off for the esteem of being crowned Eltham parliamentary bowling champion for that term. This year Meryl Spargo, Judith Furlong, Cath Andrew, Lorraine and George Reid, Mike Theodore, Eric Langford and Garry Battershell bowled two absolutely terrific games to end the day five up, giving them victory in the 2008 leg of the 56th parliamentary bowls competition.

The Eltham electorate has a terrific sporting scene, stretching all the way from junior sports clubs right up to the very active, and traditionally older, constituents and members of the bowling clubs.

Our local bowling clubs are a very important place for people, especially our more senior locals, to socialise, exercise and, often during the winter break, go to sunnier climates to compete. The great enjoyment people get from bowling clubs was apparent on the parliamentary bowls day, as it appeared everyone had a fantastic day, great friendships were renewed and good times were had.

In finishing, I would like to congratulate the Eltham bowling club on its first ever victory in the parliamentary bowls competition, and I very much look forward to hosting next year's competition, which I know, once again, will be quite a thriller.

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15 April 2008

Brian Toner

Mr HERBERT (Eltham) -- I rise to speak today of the passing of a great political icon in the Greensborough-Diamond Valley region. Brian Toner passed away on Sunday, 13 April, after suffering a recent stroke. Whilst I did not know Brian as well as many people in our community did, he was a stalwart of the ALP in our community. Of course his late wife, Pauline Toner, was a predecessor member in my seat when it was the seat of Greensborough, which she represented from 1977 to 1989. Pauline was also Victoria's first woman to serve as a cabinet minister.

It was once said that behind every great man is a great woman. Well, behind Pauline Toner was a great man. Brian was a great family man. He and Pauline had five children, and he was a hands-on parent of the children whilst his wife held very important public offices over a 16-year period.

I know his children will miss him greatly. Importantly, Brian also kept the Greensborough ALP branch vibrant and active within our community for many years. Back in the 1980s, when Brian was secretary of the branch, meeting halls were full and vigorous debate took place. Issues important to the community were paramount.

Brian was also a creative architect and well thought of in his profession. He was a community man, and his local neighbours speak very highly of him. Brian's passing signifies the end of the great contribution to the ALP in Victorian politics by Brian and Pauline Toner. My sympathies go to Brian's children and their families. They can be very proud of both of their parents' contribution to our community.

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10 April 2008

Eltham electorate: Top Arts Victorian certificate of education display

Mr HERBERT (Eltham) -- I rise to congratulate some terrific young people from the Eltham electorate who have had their creative works chosen to be in the Top Arts: VCE 2007 display at the National Gallery of Victoria. To have a piece of art displayed at the gallery is a great achievement, and I am proud to say that four local students have accomplished this honour. Eltham has a strong and proud tradition of producing very talented artists, and it is heartening to see that this tradition shows no sign of wavering.

Whilst the area's reputation centres around the Heidelberg School artists, Montsalvat and alternate dwelling designs, it is terrific to see that a strong artistic flair continues with the current generation of creative young artists.

Fiona Coath, Stephanie-Lee Moulin, Alexandra Sciubba and Verity Willmott were chosen to display works from more than 2000 submissions from government, Catholic and independent schools across Victoria. The high standard of work is a credit to the students and also a tribute to the teachers and parents who have supported them in their creative pursuits.

I am confident that these four students will continue to excel in their chosen fields, and I again wish to congratulate them on their fantastic efforts.

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9 April 2008

Sport: Eltham electorate grounds

Mr HERBERT (Eltham) -- I rise to make a request of the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs, and I am pleased to see that he is in the house to listen to it. The action I request is that funding be provided for the upgrade of playing surfaces on a number of sportsgrounds in the Eltham electorate. I am hopeful that funds will be provided to Nillumbik Shire Council to enable the planting of Santa Ana couch grass, a proven warm season grass that will provide a year-round quality playing surface and reduce water demand on the local sports fields. I am also seeking funds to upgrade a number of irrigation systems on sportsgrounds around Eltham, which will eliminate a shocking waste of water from the current inefficient systems.

Mr Kotsiras -- You can only ask one.

Mr HERBERT -- The two are interlinked as part of that funding request. We have some great local clubs in my electorate. The Eltham Rugby Club, Eltham Lacrosse, the Eltham Junior Football Club, the Research football and cricket clubs and the Lower Eltham Cricket Club all stand to reap major benefits from this proposal for long overdue upgrades to these grounds.

It is a fact that the Eltham electorate has a tremendous history of sporting achievement, and the local community places a great deal of significance on outdoor activities. The area abounds with native vegetation and open spaces, so sustainability is high on the agenda of most Eltham households. This concern for protecting our environment is reflected in the terrific response to water shortages and the drought by the residents of Eltham. For instance, the area's take-up of the government's grants for the purpose of water saving is amongst the highest in the state, and recent figures released by the Minister for Water show that Eltham is making huge inroads into reducing wasteful water usage.

It is hoped that the state government will help the Eltham community further cut down water usage by providing financial assistance for more efficient irrigation systems and warm season grasses on our local sportsgrounds.

We already have great partnerships in Eltham. One of the terrific sporting partnerships we announced a year or so ago was a new, state-of-the-art WaterSmart playing surface at Eltham Central Park football ground, which is looking absolutely tremendous and uses only about 12 per cent of the water it used previously. It will undoubtedly provide a great surface on which the Eltham Panthers can win their first game of the season on Saturday.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Nardella) -- You hope!

Mr HERBERT -- I wish coach Phil Maylin, the captain, Lachie Richardson, and the rest of the team great victories in 2008. As the no. 1 ticket-holder I hope the surface holds up well for their great games.

In summary I ask the government to look kindly on the application for funding for Nillumbik council to improve local sportsgrounds. It would be a great initiative and that would be of great community benefit.

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