Portfolio — 12 July 2026

Corruption, transparency, and the protection of emergency workers formed the dominant discourse arc for the Member for Brighton across the three sitting days of 16–18 June. Mr Newbury moved to introduce two substantive Opposition bills framed as urgent legislative interventions the government had declined to pursue itself. The first amended the Sentencing Act 1991 to widen protection for emergency services workers assaulted while on duty, addressing what Mr Newbury characterised as a legal loophole the government had discovered but referred to committee rather than closing immediately [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s005].

The third-party record gives this sharper definition: the Sentencing Amendment (Emergency Workers) Bill 2026 would expand the definition of 'on duty' to protect workers assaulted while on breaks, on shift, or intervening in public assaults — a gap that caused assault charges against the assailant of paramedic Kathryn McCormack in Mornington in September 2025 to be withdrawn [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s018 TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s025].

Mr Newbury argued the Coalition bill would commence on royal assent with retrospective application to all current proceedings, and framed the vote as a test of whether Parliament would act for workers or play politics. The government opposed immediate action, citing the need to balance procedural fairness and investigative urgency, and noted that IBAC had warned changes to one part of the integrity framework can have cascading implications across the system.

The government had commissioned the Victorian Law Reform Commission to review the definition, with a target report date of 30 June 2027 — a timeline Mr Newbury characterised as a two-year delay.

The second bill amended the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Act 2011 to require timely tabling of IBAC reports [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s007]. Mr Newbury cited Operation Richmond — a seven-year-old investigation with no public report — as the central exhibit, describing the bill as a remedy for what he called a cover-up of corruption in Victoria.

The bill would establish a legislative requirement for speedy tabling while preserving courts' capacity to intervene in limited circumstances relating to natural justice and health and safety, and would allow the government to participate in court applications where suppression is believed vexatious. On 17 June, Mr Newbury brought a related procedural motion arguing that IBAC reports not involving the Labor Party are released while Labor-related reports are withheld.

The government opposed the motion as a stunt that fails to engage with genuine complexity, pointing to an expert reference group and the Integrity and Oversight Committee as the proper mechanism. The Premier dismissed Mr Newbury's allegations about Electrical Trades Union meetings and Operation Richmond, stating all ministerial meetings are declared in accordance with rules introduced under her premiership and that the ETU is strong enough to speak for itself [TA-260618-vichns-682983134932:s246].

The two bills — and their rejection — connected directly to Mr Newbury's broader no-confidence speech on 18 June, in which he characterised the government as allowing, enabling and covering up corruption as core business in Victoria and committed that a Coalition government would establish a royal commission to investigate, stating 'we are going to chase down every dollar but we chase down every crook' [TA-260618-vichns-682983134932:s093].

The no-confidence speech also deployed polling metrics: Mr Newbury stated internal Labor polling shows the government down to 25 seats — a loss of 30 — and the Premier polling third in her own seat of Bendigo East at 60–40 [TA-260618-vichns-682983134932:s088]. He referenced a briefing from Labor's head office showing 22 backbenchers recorded as 'triple zeros' — having knocked on no doors, made no calls and had no conversations [TA-260618-vichns-682983134932:s092].

These figures were contested claims deployed in the no-confidence context, not independently verified findings.

Mr Newbury also pressed the Premier on ministerial code of conduct compliance, asking whether she could guarantee disclosure of every meeting and specifically whether she had met the Electrical Trades Union acting as an intermediary for John Setka and the CFMEU regarding the Big Build [TA-260618-vichns-682983134932:s232]. He questioned the Premier on three outstanding constituency questions up to six months overdue in response, and on whether any of seven noise detection decibel camera trials announced in March had commenced, noting no locations had been named in the two months since [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s164].

Constituency representation in the district ran alongside the legislative and accountability work. Mr Newbury raised two community petitions: over 300 residents signed a petition calling for a noise detection decibel camera trial on St Kilda Street in Brighton, and parents at Hampton Primary School reported children experiencing headaches, dizziness and respiratory irritation from road resurfacing works 5 metres from classrooms.

He raised concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency receiving 9,100 noise reports in 2025 but issuing only 1,222 vehicle infringement notices — a 13 per cent conversion rate. He noted that 14,000 Bayside residents identify as living with a disability, of which 4,700 require daily assistance, and acknowledged community leader Emily Higgins' establishment of the Bayside Young Persons with Disabilities Roundtable.

He also acknowledged the sixth annual Bayspeak youth public speaking competition, with 14 finalists from an original field of 50.

Mr Newbury raised concerns about the Premier's statement at an Israel Independence Day celebration, which he characterised as ignorant and borderline antisemitic after the Premier said young Australians risked permanently judging Israel by the actions of its government. He addressed youth crime, police station closures, police number reductions and removal of protective services officers from train stations, arguing the government put criminals before victims and citing burglaries, aggravated home invasions and car thefts as widespread in his district.

He also raised concerns about two offenders in an Anzac memorial incident who received identity protection, and moved five adjournment motions covering the Local Government Legislation Amendment (Stronger Communities) Bill, the Crimes Amendment (Recruitment of Children for Criminal Activity) Bill, the Energy and Resources Legislation Amendment (VEET Strategic Review and Other Matters) Bill, the Firearms Amendment Bill, and the Fair Work (Commonwealth Powers) Amendment Bill — each adjourned for two weeks.

Mr Newbury cited the absence of private members' bill time in the government's program, noting Victoria as one of few Australian parliaments without space for non-government member bills, to explain the Opposition's refusal to progress government legislation during a week when its own bills on emergency worker protection and IBAC transparency were opposed for introduction.

A secondary thread across 17–18 June, visible in the third-party record, involved Labor members extensively critiquing recent Opposition leadership changes, party room instability, and One Nation polling growth in outer metropolitan Coalition seats — a counter-narrative to Mr Newbury's sustained accountability focus. The government's legislative program across the same period covered housing approvals, a midday power saver scheme for work-from-home households offering up to $1,102 per year in savings, and five substantive bills [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s163], with the Attorney-General noting more than 55,000 new homes approved in the past 12 months.

The Appropriation (Parliament 2026–2027) Bill 2026, providing $313.7 million for Parliament and independent officers, was also passed across the period.