Melina Bath

Has raised rising car theft in Eastern Victoria and police vacancies, and said repeat offenders on bail had been let off too often. Voted for the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025.

• Voted26 Aug 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025. Passed 28–6.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said26 Aug 2025In debate on the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025, cited parents whose sons were repeatedly bailed for car thefts and home invasions, and said the government had signalled that offenders could get away with a great deal.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said10 Sep 2026In an adjournment matter for the Minister for Police, cited ABS figures showing Victoria had almost twice as many car theft victims as New South Wales in 2025, and rising theft across local council areas.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has pressed the government on social housing in the Latrobe Valley and rising homelessness in Gippsland. Voted against the Housing Statement Reform Bill 2024.

• Said4 Feb 2025In an adjournment matter, said homelessness in Gippsland rose 60 per cent between the 2016 and 2021 censuses and raised the end of funding for the rough sleeping action plan.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
• Said19 Mar 2026In a constituency question, asked the Minister for Housing and Building to guarantee that 72 homes at English Street, Morwell, would begin construction in April 2026, noting only 10 per cent would be social and affordable housing.Hansard, Legislative Council

Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs since January 2025. Said the Liberals and Nationals would repeal the Statewide Treaty within 100 days if elected, and voted against the bill.

• Minister7 Jan 2025Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs since January 2025.Parliament of Victoria
• Said28 Oct 2025In debate on the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025, said the Liberals and Nationals opposed the bill and, if elected in 2026, would introduce legislation to repeal it in the first 100 days.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted30 Oct 2025Voted no on the third reading of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025. Passed 21–16.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has raised the condition of regional roads and bus timetable changes in the Latrobe Valley. Voted against a Greens motion for permanently free public transport.

• 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
• Said28 Jul 2026In an adjournment matter, raised Latrobe Valley bus timetable changes from 2 February that left passengers in Moe missing connections.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said23 Sep 2026In debate on a road maintenance motion, supported the motion and cited an RACV survey of 6143 people seeking road improvements, saying the government had cut regional road funding.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has backed thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing in regional Victoria and sought opposition amendments to a 2026 racing bill. Voted against the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2025.

• 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, sought support for opposition amendments to omit clauses 7 to 10 and backed the continuation of all three racing codes with integrity and animal welfare.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has said most Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund revenue goes to general government services rather than volunteers, and questioned land tax notices on Phillip Island. Voted against the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund bill.

• 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
• Said10 Sep 2025In debate on a motion about the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, said only about 25 per cent of the levy goes to CFA and SES volunteers and the rest to core government services.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said18 Mar 2026In question time, asked the Treasurer why about 500 land tax notices in Silverleaves, Phillip Island, were issued in a way that did not follow a 2025 High Court ruling on valuations.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has pressed the government on surgery waiting times for regional patients and did not oppose the 2026 nurse ratios bill. Voted against the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025.

• 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
• Said25 Aug 2026In debate on the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Amendment Bill 2026, said the opposition would not oppose the bill and supported its aim of improving patient safety.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said26 Aug 2026In question time, asked the Minister for Health why a Maffra man who broke a hip in September 2025 was still waiting for surgery nearly a year later.Hansard, Legislative Council