Adjournment: Cycling infrastructure

Mr HIBBINS (Prahran) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is that the minister invest more in cycling infrastructure. When it comes to bikes, last week's budget was the same old news: stuff-all for cyclists yet again. Less than 1 per cent of new transport infrastructure spending was for bikes, and what was in there came about because the Greens pushed for more bike funding in negotiations with the government.

We all know good cycling infrastructure is absolutely essential to a livable city, and as a commuter cyclist who regularly rides into Parliament I know how difficult it can be to find a safe route, whether it be down Chapel Street or down St Kilda Road. I also know how good it is to ride for health and for our environment and just how affordable and convenient it is. Yet we have been let down by a seemingly anti-bike Premier who offhand dismisses cycling projects because they might not be good for cars.

Honourable members interjecting.

Members Statement: Prahran High School

Mr HIBBINS — There is a lot of excitement in our community as progress toward the opening of the new Prahran high school continues. The new school has come a long way in the last four years, from securing a location and getting the extra funding required to construction, which is now taking shape on High Street. We now welcome the appointment of the new principal, Nathan Chisholm, who is engaging closely with our community. This school has been a real community effort, particularly by the School for Prahran community group and the new school planning group. It certainly has been one of my top priorities as the local MP. I look forward to further progress towards the school opening in 2019.

Members Statement: City Basketball League

Mr HIBBINS (Prahran) — I rise to congratulate the Prahran basketball team, who were grand finalists in the recent City Basketball League finals. The league was contested by teams from public housing estates across inner-city Melbourne. I was proud to sponsor the Prahran team, who were fantastic ambassadors for our community as they competed in each round at a different public housing estate, going undefeated in the regular season and making the grand final. Well done to Solomon Deng, Yor Nyangyok, B. J. Noble, Fource Nyieker, Johnny Darcy, Osman Farah and Brett Boscacci. Congratulations also go to coach Jeremy Corea, the man who put it all together, Steve Bacash, all those who helped out and of course Prahran's number one fan, Liz Charles.

Justice Legislation Amendment (Access to Justice) Bill 2018

Mr HIBBINS (Prahran)  I rise briefly to speak to the Justice Legislation Amendment (Access to Justice) Bill 2018. This has a number of elements. This bill seeks primarily to implement 16 of the recommendations made in the 2015 Access to Justice Review. It also importantly ends the requirement of what is called forced divorce for transgender people wanting to change the sex marker on their birth certificate. I will address just two of the issues in the access to justice part of this bill.

Adjournment matter: South Yarra railway station

Mr HIBBINS (Prahran) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public Transport, and as this is the last sitting week before this year's budget is handed down in May, the action I am seeking from the minister is to finally fund an upgrade to South Yarra station in this year's budget. After over a decade of rapid population growth in the area and inaction from successive governments, with barely a cent being spent on the station — under the previous government there was a proposal to expand the front foyer that was rejected, and the previous government cut South Yarra station from the Metro rail project, which again has been continued by this government — we are making some progress. I have over 1300 signatures on my petition to upgrade South Yarra station and almost 1000 submissions to a commuter survey which show that commuter priorities are an interchange with Melbourne Metro, a second entrance with a platform overpass, an expanded front entrance, that the heritage character be maintained and a safer pedestrian crossing at Yarra Street.