View Liberal National Coalition Responses

1. Equal Opportunity – inherent requirements test

Of the inherent requirements test in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, chief executive of the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Helen Szoke said, "Religious schools or religious charities ... will have to show how belonging to a particular religion is relevant to the job they are trying to fill". Will your Party support the removal of the inherent requirements test from the EO Act, which creates uncertainty for faith-based schools and service-providers?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will remove the “inherent requirements” test from the Equal Opportunity Act.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition believes Labor’s changes to the Equal Opportunity Act undermine the freedom of parents across Victoria to provide their children with an education that reflects their values and beliefs.

The government’s double standard in this move is highlighted by the fact that the legislation expressly leaves government Ministers free to continue to discriminate in selecting staff for their own offices based on political beliefs, without any “inherent requirement” test.

A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will restore the rights of freedom of religion and freedom of association in relation to faith-based schools and other organisations by removing the “inherent requirements” test which Labor has imposed.

2. Equal Opportunity – VHREOC own-motion powers

The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 grants the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission unprecedented and wide-ranging powers to initiate an investigation into any matter relating to the operation of the Act without receiving a prior complaint. Does your Party support the removal of this extraordinary prerogative from the VHREOC?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will remove the sweeping coercive powers of investigation that Labor has given to the equal opportunity commission.

Under Labor’s legislation, the VEOHRC can launch an investigation into virtually any business or community organisation in the state; it can compel the organisation, its staff and volunteers to hand over documents and give evidence, and can then hit the organisation with a compliance notice without even having to prove any discrimination has occurred.

The legislation gives the VEOHRC more powers to lay hands on documents and interrogate the staff or volunteers of a business, school or social club than our police force has to investigate the worst of criminals.

The potential for abuse of this power is enormous. The commission is already being used as a political tool by the Attorney-General, who axed its independent chair and concentrated all power in a single commissioner. Many of who come may before these investigations and inquiries will therefore have little confidence in receiving a fair hearing.

A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will remove these sweeping powers from the VEOHRC.

3. Religious vilification

The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 had as its stated objective the promotion of racial and religious tolerance. However the Acts' civil provisions remain contentious, as evidenced by the notorious 'two Dannies case'. Will you commit to a review of the RRTA to re-examine the need for the civil provisions which encourage individuals to take legal action against people of other faiths?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will work with all interested parties to ensure racial and religious tolerance legislation operates as originally intended.

The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act was enacted with the aim of curbing racially or religiously motivated vilification, threats or attacks.  It sought to reinforce the long-standing Australian values of openness, friendliness and a fair go for all. However, the legislation as it currently stands has at times operated in ways contrary to what Parliament intended when the legislation was enacted.

A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will work with all interested communities and parties to ensure the law operates as it was originally intended and avoids the unintended and counter-productive consequences that have occurred.

4. Role for the Church

Christian charities and churches play an important public role in Victoria in the provision of services in the areas of education, welfare and health. What has your Party done to foster good relationships with religious communities, and how does it plan to work with them during the life of the next parliament?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will work with faith-based organisations in a way which respects each organisation’s role and mission.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition strongly values the role played by Christian charities and churches in the provision of education, welfare and health.  Shadow Ministers have had extensive engagement with Christian organisations relevant to their respective portfolios, both with service providing organisations and with representative associations.

The Coalition has also appreciated the constructive, well-informed and engaged approach followed by ACL in representing the views of its members on key legislation and issues before the Parliament.

The Coalition intends to continue to work in similar way with Christian and other faith based organisations in the next Parliament. If we are elected to government, we will work with organisations involved education, welfare, health and other areas to improve the services available to the community, and we will do so in a way that respects the perspective from which each organisation approaches its role and mission.

5. Hate crimes

The discussion paper, 'With respect: a strategy for reducing homophobic harassment in Victoria' recommends making it unlawful to harass another person on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As churches in the UK have found, this has been used to effectively gag comment on teaching from a religious worldview, clearly contrary to freedom of expression and religion. Does your Party rule out the introduction of homosexual-specific hate crimes law?

• Laws in this area are best directed at providing equal protection for all.
• “Hate speech” legislation can too easily lead to stifling of legitimate public debate.
• The Liberal-Nationals Coalition believes the priority should be to get current laws working properly and we do not intend to introduce further legislation.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition believes that laws in this area are best directed at providing equal protection for all against violence and other crimes, rather than making distinctions based on particular characteristics.

We also do not favour legislation based on so-called 'hate speech'. This can too easily become a recipe for intolerance and censorship of public debate, as overseas experience has unfortunately shown.

A civilised society can and should distinguish between cases such as obscene or vile hate mail put into a victim's letterbox, which should be banned and punished, and on the other hand propositions, advocacy and commentary about the merits of various moral, ethical, religious or social policy issues, which are a fundamental component of the right to free speech.

The Coalition believes the priority needs to be to get current laws working properly and effectively to protect all Victorians, and we do not intend to introduce further legislation in this area.

6. Prostitution – trafficking

The recent Inquiry into People Trafficking For Sex Work found that women are trafficked to Australia, and indeed Victoria, for sexual purposes. Given that legalised prostitution increases demand for sexual services and the trafficking of women for forced prostitution, what will your Party do to reduce the demand for the purchase of sexual services? Will your Party examine the successful Swedish model of prostitution, which criminalises the purchaser of sexual services?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will ensure that Victoria Police has a front line role in enforcing relevant laws, including an appropriate focus on the demand side.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition believes that the Labor government has not done enough to stamp out the human rights abuses and sex trafficking that have been witnessed here in Victoria in both the "legal" and "illegal" aspects of the prostitution industry.

Research produced by the Government shows that more could be done to stamp out illegal activity in the industry if there was sufficient commitment to do so.

Given the danger of organised crime, human slavery and other serious human rights abuses operating in the sex industry, a Coalition government will ensure that Victoria Police has a front line role in enforcing relevant laws, including an appropriate focus on the demand side where such behaviour encourages or facilitates criminal conduct.

7. Violent video games

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General is currently conducting a national consultation on whether to include an R18+ rating in the National Classification Scheme for video games. If agreed, this would open the door to more graphically violent and sexually explicit games finding their way into homes, and no doubt into the hands of children. If your Party were in a position to influence the SCAG decision, would it oppose the introduction of the R18+ game rating into the NCS?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will await the outcome of SCAG’s further investigation, but our disposition is not to support an R18+ classification.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition agrees with the concern implicit in the question.  Since an R18+ classification would change certain games from being refused classification and illegal under present law to being legal under the proposed new classification, we find it hard to see how the classification would provide better protection for young people or consumers in general from extreme material.

As the question states, this issue is currently being further examined by SCAG, and ultimately it will be a decided at a national level.  We have not as yet made a decision on this issue, and we will await the outcome of the further work being done by SCAG, but our disposition is not to support the introduction of such a classification.

8. Illicit drugs

The use and abuse of illicit drugs is linked to a whole range of social problems such as incarceration, crime, domestic violence and family breakdown. What is your Party's policy on illicit drugs? Does it support a harm minimisation approach to drug use, including heroin injecting rooms?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will seek to reduce abuse and harm, educate that illicit drugs can never be used safely, and increase treatment options.
• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will continue to oppose heroin injecting rooms.

The Coalition believes that the Labor government has failed the Victorian community in the area of illicit drugs and alcohol abuse, as alcohol and drug related issues such as street violence continue to grow.

The Coalition’s goals are simple; to do everything we can to prevent alcohol and drug abuse, and to do everything we can to help people who have an alcohol or drug problem. 

Our objectives are:

• To decrease the current rates of alcohol and drug abuse in Victoria.
• To reduce the amount of harm that alcohol and drug abuse cause in the community.
• To send a clear message that illicit drugs can never be used safely and that there is no such thing as ‘recreational’ drug use.
• To increase treatment options so that people with an alcohol or drug problem can get help when they need it.

Only through enhancing prevention, harm minimisation and treatment will we be able to reduce the harm that alcohol and drugs cause in the community.

However, we will continue to oppose ‘safe injecting rooms’ for the mixed signal that they give to the community about the use of illegal drugs.

Additional specific measures will be publicly announced in the coming weeks.

9. Poker machines – betting limits

The Productivity Commission's inquiry report into gambling recommended that by 2016 Governments should require all electronic gaming machines to be limited to a $1 bet. How does your Party respond to this recommendation? What else would your Party do to tackle problem gambling?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will maintain the current cap on the number of gaming machines in Victoria and will not permit any increase.
• We will also implement pre-commitment, including measures to encourage take-up and avoid stigma.
• We will monitor the impact of the reduction in maximum EGM bet from $10 to $5 before determining whether further reduction is warranted.

The maximum EGM bet was halved this year from $10 to $5 (outside the casino) with the Coalition's support.  We will monitor the impact of this measure before determining whether any further reduction is warranted.

As an Opposition, we have opposed the Brumby government's introduction of "TAB TV", which allows live betting through TV remote control and was introduced without any community consultation. 

We exposed and opposed the Brumby Government's approval of a gaming venue that had a sound-proof playroom located next to the gaming room, which led to a backdown by the regulator.

We succeeded in putting the cap of no more than 105 gaming machines per venue - previously a matter of Ministerial discretion - into legislation.

While the Brumby Government has set up an inter-departmental committee to examine proposals for a second casino in Mildura, the Coalition does not have a second casino as part of our policy.

We have supported moves to remove ATMs from gaming venues in 2012 and the introduction of pre-commitment.  Indeed, we led the way in calling for pre-commitment a number of years before the policy was adopted by the Brumby Government.

When the Brumby Government sought to expand the casino by 150 gaming tables without any socio-economic assessment or additional problem gambling measures, the Coalition stepped in to demand that an SEA take place and we secured $10 million in additional problem gambling measures including 20 new Gamblers Help trainers to train front line gaming venue staff in how to identify and assist customers who may have gambling problems and $2.1m for ground-breaking new research to be conducted by the Melbourne-Monash Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre.

We will maintain the current cap on the number of gaming machines in Victoria and will not permit any increase. 

We are committed to implementing pre-commitment to give gamblers more control over their own lives.  We will also adopt measures to encourage the take up of pre-commitment so that there is no social stigma attached to those who choose to set their own limits.

10. Homelessness and housing affordability

The increasing costs of living, especially housing, is perpetuating the problem of homelessness. Reports now suggest that an increasing number of single women over the age of 45 are under housing stress, particularly due to rising rents. What will your Party do to tackle the related issues of homelessness and housing affordability, particularly where they relate to vulnerable women, children and families?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will continue to invest in public housing to provide affordable and secure housing to low income Victorians.
• We will manage public housing stock and maintenance more efficiently to ensure fewer properties are left vacant so that families are allocated homes faster.
• We will also strengthen Victoria’s housing association sector to increase the availability of affordable housing for low income Victorians.

The Victorian Liberal-Nationals Coalition is committed to the provision of affordable housing that includes home ownership, private rental, and public and community housing, and to working with the Commonwealth towards a shared vision to halve homelessness by 2020.

The Coalition is committed to a proactive and preventative homelessness strategy, including a “child first” approach to homeless families to assist them to maintain connections to local communities, support networks and schools to prevent any further disruption to children.

The Coalition will continue to invest in public housing to provide affordable and secure housing to low income Victorians. In addition, we will manage public housing stock and maintenance more efficiently to ensure that families are allocated a home faster and fewer properties are left vacant for extended periods of time.

A Coalition government will strengthen Victoria’s housing association sector to increase the availability of affordable housing for low income Victorians, and work with associations to ensure the needs of the homeless, women, the elderly and the disabled are met.

11. Abortion – freedom of conscience

Section 8 of the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008 compels doctors with a conscientious objection to abortion to refer a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy to another health practitioner who is willing to perform the procedure. Will your Party honour the State's obligation to freedom of conscience by removing this provision from the statute books, instead inserting a clause that provides that Health professionals and those in training for a health profession who conscientiously object to being involved in a procedure or referring for a procedure should not be compelled to participate, nor should they be put at a disadvantage because of their objection?

• Under a Liberal-Nationals Coalition government, any proposals to amend the law relating to abortion would be subject to a free vote.

All aspects of the debate on the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008 were subject to a free vote by members of the Liberal-Nationals Coalition.  In contrast, the Labor Party refused to allow its members a conscience vote on procedural issues relating to the Bill, and used coercion and threats against members who were considering voting against the Bill or in favour of various amendments. 

Under a Liberal-Nationals government, any proposals to amend the law would be subject to a free vote.

12. Abortion – neo-natal deaths post-abortion

The 2007 annual report of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity showed that 52 out of 181 late term babies who were aborted for "abnormalities" survived late term abortions but died neo-natally. Would your Party support a parliamentary inquiry into neo-natal deaths of aborted babies?

• Under a Coalition government, any decisions in relation to a neo-natal deaths inquiry will be made in light of any further evidence or other matters that may arise.

The Coalition allowed a free vote to its members on the motion for an inquiry that was debated in the Legislative Council on 28 July 2010.  The Labor Party voted as a block against the motion, and the motion was unsuccessful.  If further matters or evidence arise, that would need to be looked at on its merits and decisions made at that time.

13. Euthanasia

The last attempt at legalising euthanasia in the state was soundly rejected when the Legislative Council voted 25 to 13 against the Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill 2008 on 10 September 2008. Will your Party rule out any attempt to bring on another conscience vote on euthanasia in the life of the new parliament?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government would not bring or support the bringing of legislation on euthanasia to the Parliament. 
• Any such proposals would be a matter for individual backbench MPs.

14. Child protection

There have been several highly-publicised failures of Victoria's child protection services to prevent deaths and injuries to children during the life of the current parliament. What will your Party do to improve the effectiveness of child protection services, including preventative measures to support families before risk factors develop?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will conduct a judicial review to provide a root and branch investigation of the child protection system.
• We will also establish an independent Children’s Commission instead of the current Child Safety Commissioner, who can only investigate at the Minister’s request.

The Coalition, like the rest of Victoria, has been sickened by shocking reports from the Ombudsman showing the terrible state of Victoria’s child protection system, and we have been extremely active in holding the government to account on these issues.

Child protection in Victoria is a crisis driven system that fails to adequately protect our most vulnerable children.

A Liberal-Nationals Coalition Government will conduct a judicial review that will constitute a root and branch investigation of the child protection system to identify how the systemic failures in the system can be fixed in the long term.

A Coalition government will have an Independent Children’s Commission, in contrast to the current Child Safety Commissioner who can only investigate matters on the request of the Minister.  This independent position has been called for by many involved in child protection but has been refused by the government.

Additional measures will be announced in the coming weeks.

15. Same-sex adoption

Permitting same sex couples to adopt children on the same basis as heterosexual couples would see the State fail in its most fundamental responsibility to provide wards of the state, orphaned or relinquished, with a mother and father through adoption. Will your Party act in the best interests of the child by ruling out any move to legalise stranger adoption by same sex couples?

• The Liberal-Nationals Coalition has no plans to introduce legislation on this issue. 
• Any legislation coming before the next Parliament would be the subject of a free vote by Coalition MPs.

16. Education – freedom to teach

The South Australian Non-Government Schools Registration Board recently caused avoidable controversy by drafting guidelines to explicitly prevent the teaching of creationism in school science classes. The guidelines were later withdrawn. Will your Party ensure that the Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority respects the independence of faith-based schools to teach from a Christian perspective across all subject areas?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will respect the independence of faith based schools to teach from a religious perspective in all subject areas.

17. Christian religious education

The provision of Christian religious education in Victorian Government schools is provided for under section 2.2.11 Special religious instruction of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. Does your party support the on-going provision of Christian religious education for students in Victorian public schools?

• Yes.

18. Law & order – youth rehabilitation

The report, 'Youth Justice in Victoria: The benefits of Victoria's Youth Justice System and the challenges ahead' details that there is a more than 60% chance young offenders will re-offend after release, most within 6 months of their release. What will your Party do to more effectively rehabilitate young offenders back into the community, and reduce the high rate of recidivism?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will improve exit planning processes to ensure that young people leaving youth justice facilities have appropriate support.
• We will also seek to prevent young people entering the youth justice system through better and earlier availability of mental health and drug treatment services.

A recent Ombudsman’s report into conditions at the Melbourne Youth Justice Precinct found a litany of failures from unacceptable health and safety conditions, breaches of human rights, failures to obtain working with children checks, failures to respond adequately to improper conduct, failures to respond to alleged assaults, failures to restrict contraband from entering the premises, alleged theft by staff, inadequate supervision by night staff and the provision of inadequate care for detainees with mental health issues.

The report also described the condition of the precinct as “disgraceful”.

This analysis follows on from a report entitled “Youth Justice: Health Service Review” completed for the government on December 2007. This report found, amongst other things that there was inadequate mental health treatment services and inadequate ‘exit planning’.

The Coalition is committed to improving exit planning processes to ensure that young people leaving youth justice facilities have appropriate accommodation facilities and access to mental health, alcohol and drug treatment programs. This position will help young people access support and stem the cycle of recidivism.

The Coalition also seeks to prevent young people from entering the youth justice system in the first place. Mental health and drug treatment services need to be readily available not just to young people already in the system but more broadly, to ensure early intervention for emerging problems can be undertaken.

We believe that if we can ensure ready and high quality support and treatment options to vulnerable young people we can help to stem the tide of youth incarceration.

Additional measures will be announced in the coming weeks.

19. Mental health

With mental illness increasingly identified as an issue facing Australians of all ages, what will your Party do to tackle this growing problem?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will create a central co-ordinator of mental health beds to ensure more rapid and responsive access.
• We will establish Pathways to Participation to make completing education and obtaining employment easier for people with mental illness.
• We will fund improved protections for women patients in psychiatric facilities and also fund additional collaborative research to improve evidence-based treatment.

The Brumby government lacks commitment with regard to mental illness. Under the current Victorian government the health budget specifically dedicated to mental health has declined in terms of the proportion of overall spending.

Across Victoria there are shortages and waiting lists for desperately needed mental health services. These shortages mean that mental health beds are blocked, with 21 per cent of all mental health patients waiting in emergency department for at least 8 hours for a bed, 41 per cent of all mental health patients having no contact with community based services immediately prior to admission and 14 per cent of all mental health patients having to be readmitted within 28 days of being discharged from treatment.

In addition to these general figures there are a range of issues that have effectively been ignored by the current Labor government.

One of these areas has been women’s safety in psychiatric facilities. A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will take the lead on this issue by investing $4 million to ensure women being treated in established psychiatric facilities are protected from harassment by creating female friendly areas and that any new facility built will have female specific areas.

A Coalition government will also ensure Victorians with a mental illness have more rapid and responsive access to inpatient services by creating a central coordinator of mental health beds available to all public hospitals.

A Coalition government will establish Pathways to Participation – an integrated program to make completing an education easier and lift the rate of employment for Victorians with a mental illness. The goal of this program is to increase the employment rate of people with a mental illness from 29% to 50% by 2020.

The Coalition believes that mental illness is an area that needs a much greater research focus. There are significant gaps in our research and knowledge of how to engage and treat people, particularly with a psychotic illness.  A Coalition Government will invest $10 million to fund collaborative research across the mental health spectrum that will provide improvements in evidence based treatment.

Additional measures will be publicly announced in the coming weeks.

20. Disability

Many people with disability lead lonely lives that are a constant struggle for the resources and support they need to live "ordinary" lives that the rest of us take for granted. What will your Party do to prevent new admissions of young people to nursing homes and assist people with disability living with ageing carers?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition government will take a leadership role in driving the development and implementation of a National Disability Insurance Scheme.
• An NDIS will fundamentally reform the way disability services are financed and offer lifetime support for a person with a disability and their family.

Earlier this year the Victorian Parliament released the ‘Inquiry into Supported Accommodation for Victorians with a Disability and/ or Mental Illness’. This inquiry was instigated by the Coalition following multiple complaints by community service organisations and individuals with disabilities, their families and carers.

This report highlighted a significant shortage in suitable supported accommodation and flexible respite, and that these shortages have very dire implications for ageing carers.

The Coalition has announced that it will take a leadership role in the development and implementation of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) through using the resources and expertise of the State Government to drive a national scheme being established.

The NDIS, offering lifetime support for a person with a disability and their families, will fundamentally reform the way disability services are financed.  Not longer will individuals and families have to wait in a queue in a rationed system; rather they will be entitled to a level of support commensurate with their need. As a result, individuals, carers and families will be able to plan for and invest in the best outcomes for each person over a lifetime. This will result in a greater focus on early intervention, which is often not achieved under the current, crisis driven, approach.

Additional measures will be publicly announced in the coming weeks.

21. Integrity in politics

In the event that your Party does not gain a majority in both Houses, will you commit to not trading away your election commitments in any negotiations that might be done with minor parties in forming government?

• A Liberal-Nationals Coalition does not expect to be involved in negotiations with minor parties over forming government, as the Greens would almost inevitably back Labor.
• If Victorians want strong, stable, and competent government they need to elect a Coalition government outright.

It has now become clear that Labor has been running a “dirty tricks” campaign to try to attack the Liberal Party about possible “deals” with the Greens, while at the same time themselves in secret negotiations to exchange preferences with the Greens.

Labor have repeatedly given the Greens their second preferences in both State and Federal elections.  They have also entered into a compact with Greens at a Commonwealth level, and have entered into a power sharing agreement with Greens in Tasmania following the most recent State election, despite promising before the election that they would not do so.

We believe it is highly unlikely that the Liberal-Nationals Coalition will be involved in any negotiations with minor parties on forming government post the election.  Experience shows that the Greens will almost inevitably enter an alliance or working arrangement with the ALP if those parties hold a majority between them. 

If Victorians want strong, stable, and competent government they need to elect a Coalition government outright. Any other outcome will result in either an unstable government dragged leftwards into radical Greens social and economic policies, or else more of the same tired, incompetent and manipulative Labor that Victorians are already suffering.