Members Statement – support local businesses
I used my members statement this week to send good luck and best wishes to the many people in the hospitality businesses across my Eastern Metropolitan electorate and indeed the state who have been able to reopen their doors this week as restrictions ease, and to encourage everyone to #buylocal
Members – Enterprise Ireland and Network Kokoda
In this role we get to meet some pretty interesting people. Cooperation and kindness were the the themes of two groups I met with recently, and I congratulate them and wish them well in their future endeavours.
MEMBERS – Scotty James, Warrandyte’s snowboarding champion
I am very pleased to extend my congratulations to Scotty James, a young Warrandyte snowboarder who has just completed an incredible feat of 10 consecutive wins at half-pipe snow boarding championships around the world.
MEMBERS: North East Link EES submissions
Recently I have engaged closely with the community in my electorate to ensure that they are aware and they have assistance in preparing their submissions for the environment effects statement (EES). In the past fortnight my office has received a huge number of calls, emails and messages from residents, sporting clubs and local councils.
MEMBERS – Madison Paige
Mr BARTON: I also want to say one other thing. I am also very happy that the Maggies are up and about, President, but the highlight of the week for me is my daughter. Throughout her pregnancy the baby was referred to as ‘Marshmallow’. She was born on Monday. We have now got the very gorgeous Madison Paige. So thank you
MEMBERS – Class Action against Uber
Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (09:50): Around three years ago I sat down at a dinner table with a couple of my mates, Mr Andre Baruch and Nadav Prawer. Nadav is a lawyer, and we were discussing the illegal entry into Victoria of Uber. That evening set the wheels in motion that brought us to 3 May, when the law firm Maurice Blackburn filed in the Supreme Court a class action against Uber. We started this originally just for our original members, but this has now grown to Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. This is going to be the largest class action this country has ever seen. I am very happy to be able to say that, and I am very proud of all of those people who have joined together to tell Uber that they are not making the rules. I am very happy about that.