Matt Bach MP | Politician
Matt Bach MP
Phone: +61 3 9878 4113
Reviews
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25.01.2022 Our local community has made an outstanding effort to follow the public health advice and the numbers reflect it. I’m thrilled to see Ivanhoe has dropped to 0 active cases of COVID-19.
25.01.2022 As you know, I've been calling on the government to do far more to support individuals, sole traders, and small businesses - in a prudent and COVID-Safe way. Yesterday's announcements, I'm afraid, were a big let down. www.noconfidence.com.au
22.01.2022 SUPPORTING VULNERABLE VICTORIANS Despite immense challenges, our communities are strong, and caring. Through community surveys I am constantly hearing deep care for the most vulnerable in Melbourne's east and north east - those battling mental illness, drug and alcohol issues, and family violence. ... As I consistently heard through the Parliament's Homelessness Inquiry, vulnerable Victorians have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and restrictions. Next month I'll invite you to a Facebook Live discussion with community leaders about what we need to do to greatly improve supports for the most vulnerable. What questions should I ask on your behalf? Comment below
22.01.2022 Well done, Victoria. Let's continue working hard to keep the numbers down.
22.01.2022 With only 7 new cases today due to the fantastic effort of Victorians, I'm sure we all feel like we're on the cusp of getting back to normal. With respect for the health advice in mind, what are your thoughts on the current restrictions? - 5km travelling limit? - Retail and beauty closed?... - School students not going back until later in term 4? - Indoor community and entertainment venues closed? See more
20.01.2022 This week at Parliament I was honoured to attend the unveiling of wonderful portraits of two trailblazing politicians. Lady Millie Peacock (the first female Victorian MP, from the United Australia Party, which was the predecessor to the Liberals) and the Hon Pauline Toner (the first female cabinet minister, from the Labor Party). I had special cause to honour Pauline, as she ran Victoria's foster care and adoption systems when I was - as a baby - in foster care, and then ado...pted. I owe her a great debt. Thanks Pauline!
19.01.2022 Many thanks for all your thoughts about how we should carefully and safely manage our transition out of lock-down. Please, keep them coming! Here's a snap-shot of the Liberals' roadmap. It's not exhaustive (for example, as you know we feel strongly that the beauty industry can also reopen safely). ... But I hope it gives you a good idea of our position, based on the best public-health advice.
18.01.2022 Here's the safe, evidence-based plan Victoria needs to see today.
17.01.2022 JOIN MY CAMPAIGN TO SAVE CHRISTMAS IN IVANHOE Ivanhoe’s Labor Mayor Rick Garotti - and his cabal of godless, meddlesome pinkos - must reverse his outrageous decision to cancel the Boulevard Lights. Here’s my speech today in Parliament about a petition that I would love you to sign. ... I will share the link to the petition with you shortly.
16.01.2022 The needless destruction of female-dominated industries in Victoria means so many people now have no confidence in the Labor Government. Jobs Minister Martin Pakula has failed to respond to my urgent letter seeking vital information about why the beauty industry is being decimated. As Natasha Bloomfield Smits says (check out the video on her page), in a matter of days you’ll be able to get a face-lift in Victoria, but even after October 26 you won’t be able to be treated f...or painful acne, psoriasis or eczema at a skin clinic. THIS IS CRAZY!! We are NOT talking about a cottage industry. Victoria’s beauty industry is world leading, made up of highly trained professionals, with safety in their DNA. They deserve respect. Now I have put the force of law behind my request through an application under Victoria’s Freedom of Information Act for the evidence on which government has based its decisions. As soon as I get a response I’ll share, so we can continue to pressure the government to see sense. As ever, proud to stand with the 45,000 Victorian women in this industry, led by tireless campaigners like Nancy Abdou (below, with me in Eaglemont). #NoConfidenceLabor
15.01.2022 I know that so many of my former students have had the year from hell. The least we can do, to support both young people and their families, is to provide public transport relief for 2021.
15.01.2022 Victoria is experiencing a Labor-made health crisis.
14.01.2022 The Hotel Quarantine scandal has caused over 99 per cent of our second wave: over 700 deaths and untold destruction of jobs and livelihoods. The decision to use private security, instead of police or the ADF, is the single most disastrous decision in the history of our state. But, apparently, no one in government knows who made it despite a multi-million-dollar inquiry, specifically set up to get an answer. ... As both a former Ministerial Adviser and official within the Department of Human Services, I can tell you this is impossible. They’re lying. #NoConfidenceLabor
14.01.2022 After giving false evidence to the Coate Inquiry it is right that Jenny Mikakos has resigned. But it is clear that she did not make the decision to use private security, instead of the ADF, in hotel quarantine. And in her resignation statement she directly contradicted Daniel Andrews.... Still so many questions, and so few answers, about our deadly second wave - caused by the hotel quarantine scandal. #NoConfidenceLabor
14.01.2022 Locals in Surrey Hills and Mont Albert deserve straight answers about the impacts of the level crossing removal, but all they are getting is confusion and broken promises. On 30 March Labor’s local Member of Parliament, Paul Hamer, promised that the top ovals at Surrey Park would not be used as a dumping ground for heavy machinery: Surrey Park will be removed from the planning boundary and not be used for the project. But on 10 May concerned locals were sent a letter from... a senior Government official that says: no decisions have been made about how Surrey Park and/or Canterbury Sports Ground may be used for temporary construction purposes. Which is it? Will the ovals be destroyed and the Surrey Hills Cricket Club shut down after over 100 years, or not? Today in Parliament I called on the Government to urgently sort out this complete mess.
13.01.2022 I know a lot of people who feel the same.
12.01.2022 BANYULE’S NEW LABOR MAYOR CANCELS CHRISTMAS The first action of Mayor Rick Garotti has been to cancel the Boulevard Lights. Utterly ridiculously, he says it poses a significant risk to all of Victoria.... Here’s my speech from Parliament today, in response to this outrageous act of cultural vandalism.
11.01.2022 We are coming to the end of blood cancer awareness month. Blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma do not discriminate - they can affect anyone. Tragically, blood cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in Australia. The Snowdome Foundation is raising awareness by encouraging people to upload a photo of themselves wearing red with the hashtag #ItCouldBeMe, so I'm wearing red on my run today.... The more awareness we raise, the better. #BloodCancerAwareness #BCA2020
11.01.2022 Today, September 29, is Blue Ribbon Day. Together, we should take the opportunity to thank our wonderful Victoria Police for all they do. Remember those Police members who have paid the ultimate price while serving our community.
09.01.2022 You can get a facelift in Victoria. But you can't get a face treatment for painful skin conditions. This is because Victoria's world-leading beauty industry is still shut down.... I think this is ridiculous. Like if you agree.
09.01.2022 Victoria, your choice is simple.
08.01.2022 Sole traders in Melbourne's east and north east have no confidence in the Andrews Labor Government. This morning I caught up with Ian Jamieson, who has run his own successful garden maintenance business in Melbourne's east for more than 25 years. Ian often does work in our street, and is one of my two-year-old daughter's favorite people. Whenever she hears a mower, no matter where we are, she shouts "IAN", and runs to find him. ... Ian was shut down for months, with no state government support - even though council staff doing exactly the same jobs could keep working. Sole traders deserve respect and support, neither of which they have received from this Labor Government. #NoConfidenceLabor www.noconfidence.com.au
08.01.2022 Labor’s budget borrows more than any in Victorian history. But one area has been singled out for cuts: the anti-corruption commission and Parliament’s oversight committees. The Premier denies it but the truth is there in black and white - Labor is muzzling Victoria’s anti-corruption and oversight bodies.
07.01.2022 Victorians in Melbourne's East and North East are struggling like never before. We deserve a comprehensive plan to get back to work. For full details about our plan, see our website here: https://www.michaelobrien.com.au/back-to-work-and-back-in-/
06.01.2022 This media release - bizarrely sent to me yesterday by Labor Minister Gayle Tierney - lifts the veil on processes at the highest levels of the Andrews Labor Government. It proves that this upcoming budget is nothing more than a public relations exercise. The Labor Government has price tags for new programs with focus-group-tested names, but they have no idea what these programs will actually deliver. Policy outcomes are, literally, blanks that still need to be filled in by t...heir army of political staff. The spin, as always with Labor, is the number one priority. And all this at a time when, more than ever before in our history, we need serious and substantive policy to deal with the ongoing impacts of Labor’s deadly and job-trashing failures in hotel quarantine and contact tracing.
04.01.2022 So many sole traders across Melbourne’s east and north east have no confidence in the Andrews Labor Government. Today I caught up with Alison, who has a dog grooming business in Box Hill North, which she runs from home. She has been advised that she will not be able to open for weeks after some shops and larger businesses that do grooming. Why?... Alison has lost significant income and is very concerned about the welfare of the dogs she used to care for. Sole traders have been forgotten and neglected. They should be able to get back to business now, with prudent public health measures and COVID-Safe plans. #NoConfidenceLabor
04.01.2022 Daniel Andrews has said that Victorians are now to wear face masks only. So, scarves, neck warmers, bandana’s and face shields are no longer allowed. I have always supported the notion that medical advice should form the basis for our decisions at this time. Yet the medical advice hasn't changed. As the Premier said, I have gone further [than the health advice]...Seriously, what's the issue? Why is it such a massive issue?"... So, while I know this decision will upset many, I am simply writing to advise you of this significant change.
04.01.2022 Today I caught up with Lisa from Heidelberg and District School of Dance. Her school has been shut down for over six months. Dance schools overwhelmingly cater to children - who are low risk - and could easily operate with COVID-Safe plans. Dance is so important. It's the second most popular activity for Victorian girls, fostering connectedness, fitness and wellbeing. Dance schools are also a significant source of employment.... So, I'm calling on the government to reopen dance schools as soon as possible.
03.01.2022 Check it out. Will Fowles, Labor’s member for Burwood, quietly changed this post on his website today. That was after I called him out yesterday in Parliament: it proves what Labor now wants to hide - that they promised to keep stations at both Surrey Hills and Mont Albert. Now they are breaking that promise, with a plan to replace the existing stations with just one right on top of Lorne Parade Reserve.... I’ll continue to demand that the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, ditches the current plan and instead keeps Labor’s promise to the people of Surrey Hills and Mont Albert.
03.01.2022 *ANNOUNCEMENT* An O’Brien Liberal Nationals Government will scrap Labor’s stamp duty tax hike on the family home. Making home ownership and rents less affordable will put our economic recovery at risk.... Victorians need a plan to secure our economic recovery, but all Labor offers is more taxes, fewer jobs and more pain for families and small businesses. The Liberal Nationals have a plan to take Labor’s tax hike off family homes, helping Victoria’s recovery. Read more: https://www.michaelobrien.com.au/liberal-nationals-to-scra/
02.01.2022 Three years ago today we brought this little one home. Not a bad Mother's Day memory for Amy, and me! I hope you and your family have had a great day as we honour our mums.
01.01.2022 Tomorrow, the Andrews Government will hand down its 2020/21 State Budget. This Budget will have defining implications for our State's future. That's why I have proposed the below for funding consideration in this year's Budget.... We need to get back to work, and back to business.
01.01.2022 Despite nearing completion of the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry we still have no idea who made the disastrous decision to use private security guards. Instead, Victorians get buck passing and blame shifting. It is said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. ... Daniel Andrews must, finally, come clean tomorrow.
