Portfolio — 28 August 2026

Two significant legislative instruments dominated Carrum's parliamentary window, both introduced by the Member for Carrum, Ms Kilkenny, in her capacity as Attorney-General and Minister for Planning — and both confirmed by concurrent ministerial media releases, giving the district's output an unusually high degree of cross-lane coherence.

The most substantive initiative is the Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026, a civil order scheme giving retail operators, transport operators and registered employee unions standing to apply for orders against individuals aged 14 or older who have committed unacceptable conduct — defined to include physical violence, sexual abuse, stalking and threats — in the relevant workplace within the preceding 12 months and are likely to repeat it [TA-260730-vichns-06b70b591935:s045].

Breach of an order is a criminal offence carrying a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a fine of up to 240 penalty units, or both. The Bill carries a notable tension that Ms Kilkenny addressed directly in the Assembly: crime statistics show First Peoples represent over 12 per cent of alleged offenders at retail and transport locations despite comprising less than 2 per cent of the Victorian population, creating a documented risk of disproportionate impact [TA-260730-vichns-06b70b591935:s044].

The scheme responds to that risk by requiring courts to weigh hardship, proportionality and whether an order would deny access to necessary goods or services, and by mandating a statutory review within three years of commencement. Statements of compatibility under both the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 were tabled, with Ms Kilkenny concluding compatibility notwithstanding the identified overrepresentation risk.

The second major instrument is the Justice Legislation Amendment (Family Violence, Coercive Control, Good Character, Risk Assessment and Other Matters) Bill 2026, which Ms Kilkenny introduced to the Assembly [TA-260811-vichns-559d5117f54a:s012]. The Bill criminalises coercive control as a standalone offence, abolishes good character as a mitigating factor in sentencing, and expands protections for victim-survivors of family violence.

The ministerial media release on this legislation went further in describing its scope: it also amends the Equal Opportunity Act to protect against discrimination based on family violence history, and includes amendments to the Open Courts Act to limit suppression orders and prevent convicted rapists from concealing their identities [TA-260811-vicmed-7d03b7fb3d17].

The convergence of the Assembly introduction and the media release across the same instrument signals a coordinated legislative communications effort across both lanes.

In her planning role, the Minister for Planning approved the Melton East Precinct Structure Plan, unlocking nearly 12,000 homes and 1,600 jobs in Melbourne's west, and opened consultation on the draft Merrifield North Precinct Structure Plan directed at 4,700 jobs [TA-260820-vicmed-58a5fe6d080d]. A separate approval under the Development Facilitation Program delivered over 850 new homes in Richmond and Cremorne — 687 at the former Harry the Hirer site and 165 apartments on Swan Street — with approval times reduced to four months [TA-260825-vicmed-3c78678e2cde].

These planning decisions are carried only in the media lane; no corresponding Assembly debate in this window addresses the planning portfolio.

The third-party lane contains a single reference: the Member for Carrum, Mr Farnham, congratulated three community members — Cohen Cogo, Sam Richards and Ella Clarke — on completing the Kokoda Trek alongside him [TA-260730-vichns-06b70b591935:s018]. The reference is celebratory and carries no policy dimension.

Ms Kilkenny also used Assembly time to congratulate school captains from six primary schools in the district and to acknowledge the Hindu Society of Victoria and its outgoing president, Dr Usha Gullapalli, for community leadership and support for women in leadership roles.