Bev McArthur

Voted for the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025. Has argued that bail should be denied where an accused person poses a risk to the community or to victims, and has questioned corrections policy on prisoner placement.

• Said20 Mar 2025In debate on the Bail Amendment (Tough Bail) Bill 2025, set out arguments against granting bail, including the risk of further offending and the need to protect specific victims.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted26 Aug 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025. Passed 28–6.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said18 Mar 2026In question time, asked the Minister for Corrections why the new prisons policy did not include a blanket ban on convicted sex offenders entering women's prisons.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against the Housing Statement Reform Bill 2024's rental, strata and planning changes. Has argued that state taxes, charges and regulation are making new housing too expensive to build.

• Said5 Feb 2025In an adjournment matter, said government levies, fees and charges contribute to the housing crisis, citing an industry estimate that they make up a third of housing costs.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted6 Mar 2025Voted no on the third reading of the Consumer and Planning Legislation Amendment (Housing Statement Reform) Bill 2024, which changed rental, strata and planning laws, including ending notices to vacate at the end of a first fixed-term lease. Passed 22–17.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said11 Sep 2025In an adjournment matter, asked the Minister for Planning to immediately cut state regulations, taxes and charges that were described as holding back housing development.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 and spoke against it. Has called for the release of a government-commissioned review on compensation issues.

• Said28 Oct 2025In debate on the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025, opposed the bill in principle and objected to its processes, bureaucracy and expense.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted30 Oct 2025Voted no on the third reading of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025. Passed 21–16.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said2 Dec 2025In an adjournment matter, asked the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples to release in full an unpublished $150,000 review titled the interim scoping commission on compensation issues.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against a Greens motion to make public transport permanently free and more frequent. Has pressed for more funding for country roads and raised concerns about an undisclosed fare levy linked to the Suburban Rail Loop.

• Voted3 Jun 2026Voted no on a Greens motion calling on the government to make public transport permanently free and more frequent. Lost 7–31.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said27 Aug 2026In a members statement, said the Auditor-General had confirmed a 1 per cent levy was added to public transport fares from January 2025, mainly to help fund the Suburban Rail Loop East.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said10 Sep 2026In a members statement, announced a Coalition commitment to restore the country roads and bridges program, giving each of 48 rural and regional councils $1.5 million a year for four years.Hansard, Legislative Council

Opposed statewide sharing of patient health information without an opt-out, citing patient confidentiality, with secondary concerns about government IT delivery and cyber attacks.

• Said7 Mar 2023In debate on the Health Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2023, opposed the bill's lack of an opt-out from statewide sharing of patient health information, citing patient confidentiality, and listed secondary concerns about government delivery of IT projects and cyber attacks on health services such as Barwon Health.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. Supported the Racing Legislation Amendment (Entity Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2026 after amendments.

• Voted17 Jun 2025Voted no on the third reading of the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, which changed the licensing framework for gaming machine monitoring and public lotteries. Passed 22–14.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said14 Aug 2026In debate on the Racing Legislation Amendment (Entity Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2026, said the Liberals and Nationals support the bill and welcomed government changes made in response to the opposition and industry.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy bill and has spoken against the levy repeatedly, saying a Coalition government would scrap it.

• Voted15 May 2025Voted no on the third reading of the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Bill 2025, which replaced the fire services property levy with a broader Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy. Passed 22–17.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said15 May 2025In debate on the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund bill, opposed the levy as a new tax that falls hardest on farmers and emergency services volunteers.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said16 Jun 2026In a members statement, described attending a Bendigo rally against the emergency services levy and said the Liberals and Nationals will scrap it.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted against the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. Has pressed the government on emergency department waits at Ballarat Base Hospital and on adult mental health services in Ballarat.

• Voted19 Feb 2026Voted no on the third reading of the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025, which sets rules and an approval process for certain medical treatment of people born with variations in sex characteristics. Passed 24–15.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said12 Aug 2026In question time, asked the Minister for Health whether there would be an investigation into conditions at the Ballarat Base Hospital emergency department, citing a 19-hour wait.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said10 Sep 2026In question time, asked the Minister for Mental Health why a dedicated adult mental health and wellbeing local service had not been delivered in Ballarat more than three years after planning was announced.Hansard, Legislative Council