So, the Andrews Labor government in Victoria is being…weird.
Since their election in December 2014, they’ve been keeping election promises (!?!), addressing the issues that people expect state governments to look after: health care, education, housing, crime, renewable energy and jobs growth. On top of that they’ve managed a fairly good job of generally not being numptys in public.
It’s deeply odd. But maybe I’m just spending too much time on Federal politics.
Yesterday Jill Hennessy, the Victorian Health Minister, confirmed the government will be introducing a bill enforcing exclusion zones around abortion clinics in Victoria. The bill was in response to a private members bill introduced by Leader of the Australian Sex Party, Fiona Patten, proposing a 150 meter safety zone around abortion clinics to prevent protesters harassing patients on their way in to the clinic. This is not a new issue, the anti-abortion protesters, who call themselves Helpers Of God’s Precious Infants, have had a daily presence outside the Melbourne Fertility Clinic for over a decade. Despite pleading from doctors, women’s groups and activists, police and government have, until now, been reluctant to intervene. This is a huge step forward for women’s safety and peace of mind, and it’s one that both Liberal and Labor governments in the past have refused to take.
The Royal Commission into Family Violence, which they promised, delivered and funded properly. Given that the Andrews government has committed to implementing all recommendations submitted by the Commission, it is going to be a game changer for victims and service providers all accross the country.
Within weeks of the election, Dr Doug Travis, surgeon and ex-president of the AMA, was appointed to review the status of hospital beds across the state, and provide recommendations on how to increase capacity of Victorian public hospitals. His final report was handed down last week and the government has confirmed that they will implement all 32 recommendation, and provide additional funding for another 101 hospital beds and points of care. This is in addition to the wider health care plan adopted by the Andrews government, which focuses on the long term health problems caused by social and financial disadvantage, mental illness and reproductive health.
This is also the government that removed religious instruction from the state curriculum and official class times, and replaced it with world history and ethics lessons. And introduced respectful relationships lessons, as long-term prevention of address domestic violence and sexual assault.
The Andrews government has also brought forward about $200 million investment in renewable energy and committed to firm energy efficiency targets for the next five years.
As well as the big ticket items, they’ve also taken action on a number of other fronts. They’ve fast tracked opening up more land for residential development, in desperately needed moves to increase Melbourne’s housing supply; taken treatment as seriously as punishment in an effort to address ice addictions; strengthened animal cruelty laws; enshrined nurse to patient ratios in law; expunged historical convictions for homosexual activity; given funds to Girl Guides to increase engagement with young women (with a focus on women from disadvantaged backgrounds) and to LGTBIQ groups to promote health and well-being in that vulnerable community; introduced laws to monitor serious sex offenders more closely; taken action on mental health care and students with special needs and given family violence leave to Victorian public sector employees.
I have no doubt that many of these initiatives wouldn’t play well in conservative households, but isn’t that the point of party politics? If there is a clear difference between the two major parties, that one is right wing conservative, and the other is left wing progressive, then voters know what to expect when they cast their vote. And when the majority of the state choose a progressive government it shouldn’t be surprising that they actually get one. It shouldn’t be so unexpected that a government will stick to the spirit as well as the letter of election promises. And it shouldn’t be such a shock when they don’t play duck and cover with the conservative press, before eventually caving to the gods of wedge politics.
It shouldn’t be, but it is.
I have no doubt at all that they will get things wrong, be caught out on “irregularities”, fall over their political feet, and stumble on the implementation of policy that is far easier to announce than it is to enact. That’s the nature of government, but so far, they’re looking pretty good. And given the parlous state of politics at a federal level, that’s a welcome relief.