The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, is encouraging locals to nominate hardworking individuals and organisations for the 2026 Multicultural Awards for Excellence. The annual awards recognise people and groups who are making significant contributions to strengthening multiculturalism, promoting inclusion and building stronger community connections across Victoria. The awards are open to both paid and…
Students across Victoria have an opportunity to share their views on their issues affecting their communities as part of an annual Parliament of Victoria competition. The Parliament Prize, which opened this week, encourages students in years 5 to 12 to submit a video of themselves delivering a Member’s Statement on a local issue, as MPs…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has questioned the Minister for Carers and Volunteers Luba Grigorovitch over funding for Neighbourhood Houses during the 2026/27 PAEC Budget Hearings, with the Minister repeatedly declining to confirm whether funding would be increased. Ms Benham referred to the Department Performance Statement, which showed funded coordination hours for Neighbourhood…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has criticised Education Minister Ben Carroll over the Allan Labor Government’s handling of public school infrastructure after he repeatedly dodged basic questions about the condition of Victoria’s public schools during the Parliamentary Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) 2026/27 Budget Hearings. Ms Benham questioned the Minister and senior officials…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has challenged the Minister for Emergency Services, Vicki Ward, after she was unable to provide base budget figures for Victoria’s emergency services organisations during the 2026/27 PAEC Budget Hearings. Ms Benham asked for the base budgets for the CFA, SES and Fire Rescue Victoria for the 2026–27 financial…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has criticised Minister for Industrial Relations, Jaclyn Symes following this week’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings, accusing the Allan Labor Government of avoiding accountability over Big Build blowouts and allegations of CFMEU-linked misconduct. Ms Benham said the hearings raised serious concerns about the Government’s willingness to…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has thrown her support behind the establishment of Victoria’s first regional police academy in Mildura. During Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) Budget estimates hearings, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush, confirmed a regional Police Academy in Mildura is anticipated to be operational from January 2027, with the…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has used the Parliamentary Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) Budget Hearings to highlight concerns about the lack of accessible support through Service Victoria, particularly for elderly and digitally excluded Victorians. Questioning Minister for Government Services, Ingrid Stitt, Ms Benham raised the issue of regional residents who will be…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has questioned Treasurer Jaclyn Symes during the Parliamentary Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) Budget Hearings over Victoria’s rising debt and infrastructure borrowing, and whether there is any credible plan to return the state to a cash surplus. Ms Benham raised concerns that under current budget settings net debt…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has grilled Premier Jacinta Allan during the Parliamentary Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) Inquiry into the 2026–27 Budget Estimates over alarming allegations linked to Victoria’s Big Build. As a member of PAEC, Ms Benham repeatedly pressed the Premier on whether teenage girls and young women involved in government-promoted…