Message by Wendy Lovell, Member for Northern Victoria
IT has been the privilege of my life to represent northern Victorians in the Victorian Parliament, and throughout my career, I have been driven by several enduring priorities: stronger regional communities, better infrastructure, improved health services, quality education, support for vulnerable people, water security, and opportunities for future generations to live and work in regional Victoria.
I hope I have done the region proud.
As Minister for Housing, I inherited a basket case of a portfolio, with a waiting list that had had blown out to 41,000 families. In my four years as Minister we stabilised the budget, invested in maintenance, and built new houses which allowed us to move almost 7,000 families off the waiting list and into homes.
My proudest achievement in the housing portfolio is implementing the Education First Youth Foyers, one of which is located right here in Greater Shepparton.
I delivered three Youth Foyers in Shepparton, Broadmeadows and Glen Waverley, and I convinced Richard Wynne, the Minister who replaced me to invest in two more in Wodonga and Wangaratta.
The Foyers are co-located with TAFE and provide subsidised housing and counselling services for homeless young people. In return, they sign a mutual obligation contract to participate in education, training or work.
Around 1200 young people have benefited from support since the first Youth Foyer opened in 2013, and incredibly, 89% have left the program engaged in further education or employment. I have also heard of more than a dozen former Foyer students who have now gone on to purchase their own homes. Their success stories fill me with pride, and inspire me with hope for what the next generation will achieve.
In the Early Childhood portfolio, I was proud to lead the sector through a period of significant investment in children, educators and new facilities, and during my term as Minister more than 97% of four-year-olds participated in kindergarten which was a record for our state.
On a local level there have been many projects that I am proud to have played a part in delivering, including but not limited to, our Genesis Care Radiotherapy Service, Stage 1 of the GV Health redevelopment, the Echuca Regional Health redevelopment, the new Echuca-Moama Bridge, and the widening of the Peter Ross-Edwards Causeway.
I also worked closely with Premier Denis Napthine to design and deliver a rescue package for SPC that saved an iconic business and hundreds of jobs in our community.
And finally, during my 24 years as a Member of Parliament, my office team and I have helped resolve issues for thousands of constituents from across northern Victoria.
During my career I have been driven by an unwavering commitment to ensure that in business, health care, sport, and education, our communities continue to grow, adapt and thrive into the future.
