Rachel asked the government for a commitment to continue funding Southside Justice’s legal program for sex workers. As one of only two services of its kind in the country, this program has provided legal assistance to workers in the sex industry since 2022. Funding is set to cease in December, which will impede access to trauma-informed legal assistance for common issues such as non-payment and assault.
Rachel asked the Minister for Corrections to stop lockdowns at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. Usually reserved for emergency situations, women in these prisons have been frequently kept in states of solitary confinement due to changes in administrative processes and rostering.
Rachel asked the Minister for Health to ensure that the regulation of IVF is on the national agenda. The Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) was dissolved at the end of 2024. With news of embryo mix-ups and a 2022 report by the Victorian Agency for Health Information suggesting that IVF clinics might be under-reporting dangerous incidents, there are major concerns around the regulation of assisted reproductive treatment.
Rachel spoke in support of Victoria’s Rainbow Libraries Toolkit, in response to a petition calling for the cessation of its rollout. The Rainbow Libraries Toolkit was developed as a guide for library staff on ensuring safety, inclusion and equality for all Victorians accessing public libraries.
Rachel asked if the government would establish a taskforce dedicated to addressing family violence. As several south-eastern suburbs have some of the highest rates of family violence in the metropolitan area, Rachel continues to seek government action on this epidemic.
Rachel asked the government to prioritise vicarious liability law reform as a matter of urgency.
Rachel is advocating for reform to ensure that victim-survivors of historical child abuse can access justice for crimes of abuse perpetrated in non-employment settings. This includes such settings as churches, foster care, Scouts and sports clubs.
Rachel called on the Victorian Premier to include child abuse prevention education as a mandatory requirement for Working with Children Check applicants.
Rachel Payne MP presented an adjournment matter to the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence. Rachel called on the minister to work with the Attorney-General in reviewing the efficacy of these laws to protect victim-survivors.
Rachel Payne MP spoke in parliament on the use of lawfare as a tool to stigmatise and delay progress in Victoria’s hemp industry.
Rachel Payne MP asked the Minister for Small Business if the government will commit to continued funding for the Partners in Wellbeing program. Partners in Wellbeing is an initiative which has been supporting small businesses since the pandemic but is set to cease in 2025.
