Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews has presented more than 25,000 signed petitions to regional sitting of State Parliament, of which over 1,000 were collected from the Brunswick Electorate, calling on the Baillieu Government to reverse its callous budget cuts to TAFE, State Member for Brunswick Jane Garrett said today.

The Baillieu Government has shown its true colours in the state budget handed down today with razor gang measures and a failure to deliver on urgent capital funding for Brunswick Secondary College and Merri Community Health, or any funding to support a High School for Coburg.

State Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett is inviting members of her electorate to take part in her consultation into the issue of work life balance.

Ms Garrett said in an increasingly dynamic economy, and fast paced society, there are mounting pressures on employees and individuals, with their personal and family time suffering as a consequence.

Students will suffer from the Baillieu Government’s multi-million dollar cut to TAFE and vocational training with possible course cuts, staff losses and escalating fees, State Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett MP said today.

Jane Garrett said local students were already under pressure with end of year exams and deciding what studies they will do next year without having to worry about if they can get into a course or have to pay higher than expected fees.

Young people in the electorate of Brunswick have been invited to a forum to share their experiences of any unfair treatment in the workplace.

The forum has been instigated by the Brunswick Youth Action Committee (BYAC), with the support of the State Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett.

The Baillieu Government should immediately reinstate funding for an education program that gives school students important hands-on training in the workforce, Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett said today.

Jane Garrett raised the matter in parliament today, calling on the Government to rethink its heartless decision to cut $12 million for coordinators of the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program.

Young people from across the inner north trying to break into the music industry have been dealt a blow by the Baillieu Government, which has slashed funding for a popular FReeZA program, Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett said today.

The Brunswick community has been invited to hold the Baillieu Government to account, with the Labor Opposition announcing it will open a “Scrutiny of Government” post office box.

Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett said the Baillieu Government’s secretive style had left the Opposition no choice but to open up the post office box to allow concerned community members an avenue to speak up on Baillieu’s silence and inaction.

Brunswick families have missed out on crucial improvements to schools and local health services in Mr Baillieu’s first State Budget, Labor Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett said today.

“Despite the Baillieu-Ryan Government inheriting a AAA-rated budget, with a strong surplus over each of the next four years, the State Budget has ignored the Brunswick Electorate”, Jane Garrett said.

State Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett MP has encouraged students to get involved in the 2011 Premiers’ Reading Challenge.

“Seven years after it was initiated by the then Premier Steve Bracks, it’s encouraging to see the Premiers’ Reading Challenge is still going strongly,” Jane Garrett said.

Premier Ted Baillieu has changed legislation to allow shops to trade on Easter Sunday, forcing thousands of young people to work on a day which has traditionally been one to spend with family and friends, Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett said today.

The Baillieu Government’s changes to Easter Sunday trading laws could force hundreds of local retail employees in our local area to work without additional pay loading, State Member for Brunswick, Jane Garrett MPsaid.