On the back of harrowing reports of serious surgical misconduct at Melbourne Private Hospital, Rachel noted a disparity of care within the health system, among women and people who menstruate, Rachel asked the Minister what is being done to ensure that mandatory reporting obligations are taken seriously.
Rachel spoke on a petition tabled by her Legalise Cannabis Victoria colleague, David Ettershank, member for Western Metropolitan. This petition called on the Minister for Planning to halt any progress toward a waste incinerator in Sunbury, citing concerns such as air pollution, impact on ecosystems and proximity to residential development.
Rachel spoke in contribution to the government’s Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025.
Late last year Rachel Payne MP raised the rapid expansion of Waste to Energy (WtE) in Victoria in Parliament. Despite serious environmental and health concerns, enormous rubbish incinerators are either being built or planned in a so-called “ring of fire” around Melbourne.
Rachel contributed to a motion on Ambulance Victoria. She noted key areas for improvement as identified in the 2025 inquiry, while acknowledging the April deadline for the implementation of recommendations.
Rachel spoke on a family violence motion which would create a standalone offence for coercive control. She acknowledged the deeply disturbing prevalence of family and intimate partner violence, and its well-established connection with coercive control. Rachel spoke to the evidence arising from stakeholder consultation and law changes in New South Wales, noting that effectiveness of a standalone offence is contentious and could be underutilised or otherwise cause harmful, unintended consequences.
Rachel second read her private member’s bill, the Summary Offences Amendment (Begging) Bill 2025. If passed, this bill would decriminalise begging in Victoria. Rachel presented the bill’s compatibility with the Human Rights Charter, before speaking to the intersecting factors which cause people to beg for survival. Rachel urges the government to shift from a criminal justice response to begging, to a public health response.
Next year, more than 2,000 Victorian graduate nurses will be left without jobs.
Nurses are essential workers. During the Covid 19 pandemic, they got us through. We needed more and we got them. Record numbers of Victorians enrolled in nursing, but incredibly, many now can’t find jobs. An emergency funding package for graduate nurses is urgently needed, and we join the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) in calling on the Allan Labor Government to deliver it.
Begging is a criminal offence in Victoria. It is punishable by up to twelve months in prison. In the most progressive state, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, you can go to prison for being poor.
Rachel welcomed reforms to legislation on non-disclosure agreements in workplace sexual harassment cases.
