Living Libraries Infrastructure Program | Adjournment & Response

Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan) (17:39:08): My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Small Business and Minister for Local Government, the Honourable Adem Somyurek. I am incredibly proud of our Labor government for investing more than $18 million into 59 infrastructure projects through the Living Libraries Infrastructure Program. The program is helping Victorian councils and regional library corporations provide high-quality infrastructure to meet their communities’ changing needs. The Living Libraries Infrastructure Program has committed $18 million of funding until 2019–20. Over the past four years the program has allocated funds for library programs in my electorate in partnership with local governments. These include the Sydenham library in Brimbank and the creative technology hub at Seaworks in Hobsons Bay. We also opened two new libraries in my electorate—namely, the Julia Gillard Library in Tarneit and the Newport Library in Newport. Furthermore, the Premier’s Reading Challenge Book Fund is encouraging young westerners to read. Libraries in Wyndham City Council received more than $33 000 in 2018–19 from the Premier’s Reading Challenge Book Fund. Many of my constituents are proud of their local libraries, and they appreciate the continued support by the Andrews Labor government. The action I seek from the minister is that he meet with me at Julia Gillard Library in Tarneit to hear firsthand about the benefits these libraries have brought to residents and families in Western Metropolitan Region.