Liberal MPs failed to stand up for students and staff at their local Swinburne TAFE campus, voting against a measure that would have ensured the Lilydale and Prahran campuses would remain open.

Schools in Melbourne’s western suburbs are still struggling under the weight of the Baillieu Government’s $555 million cuts to education, Shadow Education Minister James Merlino said today.

I raise a matter for the Minister for Planning the other place regarding the proposed McDonald’s outlet in Tecoma. The action I am seeking is that the minister intervene to ensure that the number of objections to a proposal are given appropriate weight at Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearings. In this case and in others members of VCAT have made it clear that the number of objections absolutely does not have weight.

I raised the proposed McDonald's in Tecoma in Parliament on 24th October. I called on the Minister for Planning to intervene and ensure the VCAT gives weight to mass objections.

Swinburne University of Technology's Lilydale campus is closing as a direct result of unprecedented funding cuts by the Baillieu government. At a public meeting organised by Yarra Ranges Shire Council on 26 September residents unanimously supported a motion to retain the Swinburne site for community, TAFE and university education.

Thank you to everyone who attended my Monbulk Trivia Night on Saturday night at Mt Lilydale College. It was a fantastic night with great attendance, generous contributions to our Monbulk campaign and loads of fun.

Yesterday was another milestone in the community's campaign to save the Swinburne University campuses at Lilydale and Prahran. A petition signed by a massive 15 002 people was handed to the Leader of the Opposition. It was compiled by students at the Lilydale and Prahran campuses, the National Tertiary Education Union and the broader community. Congratulations to Aime Watson and her colleagues. This petition adds to the largest petition I have ever circulated in the seat of Monbulk, of some 2800 signatures, and the 25 000-strong petition tabled by the opposition leader last sitting week. This issue has resonated unlike any other in my 10 years as a member; the community outrage is quite extraordinary. This issue is not going away.

I raise a matter for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is that the minister intervenes to reinstate the remaining school improvement program (SIP) funds to Sassafras Primary School in my electorate. This is not a recent issue that I am raising with the minister. I wrote to the minister on 15 March and received a holding letter reply on 28 March, but I have still not received a considered response to this very serious issue and consider it necessary to raise it in tonight's adjournment.

Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews has presented more than 28,000 signed petitions to State Parliament in Ballarat calling on the Baillieu Government to reverse its callous budget cuts to TAFE, State Member for Monbulk, James Merlino said today.

The Baillieu Government is failing on crime prevention with new figures showing crime has risen for the first time in over a decade, Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Police James Merlino said today.

Member for Monbulk, James Merlino, greeted hundreds of TAFE students, teachers and staff at Parliament House to make the point that the Baillieu Government’s harsh $290 million cuts to TAFE are totally unacceptable.

Embattled Police Minister Peter Ryan has admitted he will not meet his election promise to have two PSOs patrolling every station on the suburban rail network, Opposition police spokesman James Merlino said today.

ParkwoodSecondaryCollege, one of the schools within the Maroondah Regeneration project, could be forced to close at the end of the year leaving students, their families and teaching staff with an uncertain future, Shadow Minister for Education James Merlino said today.

The Baillieu Government had to be dragged to the negotiating table on the Community and Public Sector Union wages deal, Deputy Opposition Leader James Merlino said today.

Premier Ted Baillieu’s law and order policy is in tatters with figures showing police numbers falling in high growth areas, Opposition Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister for Police James Merlino said today.

I raise a matter for the Minister for Higher Education and Skills. The action I seek is that the minister immediately intervene to ensure the continued operation of Swinburne University of Technology's Lilydale TAFE and university campus.

Two schools in my electorate, Monbulk College and Upwey High School, and Billanook College just outside my electorate, have longstanding and highly successful volleyball programs. All three schools competed in the recent Victorian Volleyball Schools Cup, with 160 teams competing at the State Volleyball Centre.

LABOR Party members and supporters across the country are gravely concerned about the future of progressive politics in this country. We are also, quite frankly, fed up with the behaviour, intransigence and hypocrisy of the Greens party.