LUNCHEON - 9TH JULY 2014

Speaker:  Hon. Dr. Denis Napthine Premier of Victoria

Topic:  ‘Victoria – our great State’ 

Chairperson:  Kevin Sheehan

Dr Denis Napthine was sworn in as the 47th Premier of Victoria on 6 March 2013. He is also Victoria’s Minister for Regional Cities and Racing.  Dr Napthine was born on 6 March 1952 and grew up on the family farm in Winchelsea.

He lives in Port Fairy, in Victoria’s west, with his wife Peggy and they have three adult sons.

Before entering Parliament, Dr Napthine attended Winchelsea State School and Chanel College in Geelong.  He is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) and Masters of Veterinary Studies (MVS).

He also holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Deakin University.

A qualified Vet, Dr Napthine held the positions of District Veterinary Officer, Regional Veterinary Officer and ultimately became Manager of the Hamilton complex of the Victorian Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Dr Napthine has also been actively involved in community services assisting the intellectually disabled.  He and his wife Peggy spent several years as ‘house parents’ for intellectually disabled people during their time in Hamilton.

Dr Napthine was elected to the Parliament of Victoria in the October 1988 State Election, representing the seat of Portland in the Legislative Assembly.

A passionate supporter of the Geelong Football Club, Dr Napthine also enjoys watching the local football in his electorate of South West Coast.  He is the number one ticket holder for the Tyrendarra Football and Netball Club.

The Premier’s vision is to lead a strong and decisive Victorian Coalition Government that delivers key infrastructure and better services for all Victorians, particularly those with special needs.

Synopsis Of The Lunch:

The Victorian Premier Hon. Denis Napthine addressed the meeting extolling the strengths and virtues of magnificent Victoria. He confidently shared his governments’ visions for the future mentioning particularly the infrastructure of roads, ports, hospitals, commercial rail and public transport. The projected population growth over the next 25 years will be the largest in the Commonwealth placing a great deal of upward pressure on public facilities, water, energy and transport. Victoria is the only State that enjoys a 3 Star rating from credit agencies Standard and Poor and Moody’s enabling the State to finance infrastructure growth at a financially more beneficial rate than the other states.

The Premier was confident and bullish of our future clearly setting out the goals we all aspire to achieve to enhance our living standards thus ensuring our children and grandchildren will be better educated, cared for in health and treated with respect in their advancing years. Extra police and PSO’s are securing the streets and public transport, the education sector is being vastly improved and new hospitals are being or have been constructed with the new Peter Mac Cancer Research Hospital, Monash Children’s Hospital and Bendigo Hospital but three that were discussed by the Premier as being in the final stages of completion. 

Listening to Denis and taking cognizance of his presentation gave all a great deal of confidence that the State of Victoria is in a strong financial position, being managed with fiscal prudence and whilst the daily media tend to thrive on the ‘Three Ring Circus’ that is played out during question time on parliamentary sitting days the services are still being delivered for the benefit of all Victorians.