Rachel Payne

Voted against the Bail Further Amendment Bill 2025. Has argued that tougher bail laws increase remand numbers and reoffending, and has called for more spending on root causes of crime and therapeutic support in prisons.

• Said15 May 2025Asked the Minister for Corrections in question time what extra funding would go to therapeutic support services in prisons, citing a 71 per cent rise in young people on remand after the bail law changes.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted26 Aug 2025Voted no 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, said everyone has the right to feel safe but that keeping children and young people in the justice system leads to reoffending and does not make the community safer.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for the 2024 rental and planning reform bill. Has called for 500 supported housing places for young people and asked the Treasurer to consider windfall gains tax exemptions for councils building social and affordable housing.

• Voted6 Mar 2025Voted yes 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
• Said3 Jun 2026In a constituency question, asked the Treasurer to consider windfall gains tax exemptions for Cardinia and Knox councils to support social and affordable housing development.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said24 Sep 2026In an adjournment matter, asked the Minister for Homelessness to commit to delivering the 500 supported housing places for young people recommended by the mental health royal commission.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for and spoke in support of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025.

• Said28 Oct 2025In debate on the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025, supported the bill, acknowledged the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria and commended the government for continuing with treaty after the national Voice referendum.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted30 Oct 2025Voted yes on the third reading of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025. Passed 21–16.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for a Greens motion for permanently free public transport. Has called for more frequent buses in the south-east and for changes to roadside drug-testing laws for medicinal cannabis patients.

• Said13 Nov 2025In an adjournment matter, asked the Minister for Public and Active Transport to support the Better Buses for Kingston report, which calls for buses at least every 20 minutes and longer service hours.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted3 Jun 2026Voted yes on a Greens motion calling on the government to make public transport permanently free and more frequent. Lost 7–31.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said22 Sep 2026Asked the Minister for Roads and Road Safety in question time whether the government would follow New South Wales in changing roadside drug-testing laws so medicinal cannabis patients who are not impaired are not penalised.Hansard, Legislative Council

Has raised local concerns about a proposed data centre in Clyde North, including energy use, health effects and the lack of community consultation.

• Said12 Aug 2026In a constituency question to the Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, asked why there had been no community consultation on a 53-hectare data centre proposed for Clyde North.Hansard, Legislative Council

Voted for the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. Supported mandatory carded play and pre-commitment on poker machines but questioned delays to the reform timeline.

• Said27 May 2025In debate on the Gambling Legislation Amendment (Pre-commitment and Carded Play) Bill 2024, supported the bill but criticised delays to its timeline and pointed to the government's reliance on poker machine tax revenue.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted17 Jun 2025Voted yes 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

Voted for the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy bill in 2025. Has asked the Treasurer for cost-of-living support for people who want to start a family.

• Said31 Jul 2024In an adjournment matter, said cost-of-living pressures were leading young people to delay having children, and asked the Treasurer to provide cost-of-living support to those who need it.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Voted15 May 2025Voted yes 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

Voted for and spoke in support of the Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025. Has raised emergency department waits at Frankston Hospital and called for public education on accidental overdose.

• Voted19 Feb 2026Voted yes 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
• Said11 Aug 2026In a constituency question, asked the Minister for Health why Frankston Hospital's emergency department lacked enough staff, after a constituent waited about 14 hours to be admitted.Hansard, Legislative Council
• Said8 Sep 2026Asked the Minister for Health in question time to consider a statewide public health campaign on the safe use of prescription medications to help prevent accidental overdose.Hansard, Legislative Council