Portfolio — 28 August 2026

The dominant thread in Nepean's parliamentary record across this window is the Member for Nepean's allegations of corruption in the awarding of Victorian road contracts. The Member told the Assembly that Elite Roads — a contractor operating on Peninsula Link and across Victoria's Big Build program — is owned by Deon Coote, whom he described as a criminal environmental offender prosecuted for illegally dumping industrial waste [TA-260730-vichns-06b70b591935:s031].

The Member further alleged that Elite Roads made payments to underworld figure Mick Gatto while receiving Big Build work, and characterised the arrangement as evidence of a culture in which road contracts are acquired and disputes resolved through "bullying, bribes and blackmail" [TA-260730-vichns-06b70b591935:s031]. The Member framed his contribution explicitly as a public accountability argument: Victorians, he said, are entitled to know who is being paid to build their roads.

These allegations were made in the Assembly chamber and are reported here as the Member's stated position; no response from the Victorian Government or from the companies named is recorded in the materials supplied for this window.

Alongside this accountability argument, the Member's recorded district activity reflects a broad community engagement pattern across Nepean. On emergency services, the Member met with Red Hill CFA captain Sam Norris to discuss fuel loads and fire season preparedness — the Red Hill brigade, the Member noted, has operated since 1940 and responds to more than 100 incidents annually [TA-260813-vichns-ff06af361824:s032].

The Member also visited the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad in Blairgowrie, a volunteer marine search and rescue organisation active across Port Phillip Bay and the Bass Strait coast since 1967, doing so alongside the Leader of the Opposition [TA-260813-vichns-ff06af361824:s031]. The convergence of the Opposition Leader's presence with these emergency services visits signals the district's relevance to opposition campaign activity ahead of the November election.

The most locally contested issue in the window is Flinders Pier. The Member attended a community rally for the heritage-listed pier and stated in the Assembly that the Victorian Government had promised to restore it, then walked away after demolishing the inner section and completing only 13 piles [TA-260826-vichns-9f81c0b98fb9:s041]. He committed that his party, if elected to government in November, will complete the restoration.

This pledge directly positions the pier as a pre-election accountability test for the district.

The Member's remaining recorded activity covers the unveiling of the Turner Room at Rosebud RSL — honouring Bruce Turner's 26 years of Army service, 25 years as a military compensation advocate, and 40 years of RSL membership [TA-260813-vichns-ff06af361824:s030] — and visits to the upgraded Rye skate park, the Capel Sound Community Hub, and the Rosebud and Districts Men's Shed [TA-260826-vichns-9f81c0b98fb9:s042 TA-260826-vichns-9f81c0b98fb9:s044].

Taken together, these appearances span veterans' recognition, youth infrastructure, community services, and volunteer emergency response — a deliberately broad constituency footprint consistent with pre-election district work.