Ros Spence

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (09:43): Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit two fantastic local businesses in Mickleham which have been doing a great job in their very first year. Late last year I visited Evaryde ice cream for the first time. It was great to check in and see how everything was tracking. Anil, Neelama, Jidin and Saumya are rightly proud of their business with all the ice cream and frozen treats made fresh in-house and heaps of delicious flavours to choose from. They are doing an outstanding job, being the first store of their kind in Mickleham, and I look forward to watching them grow. I also had the chance to pop into Genesis Health & Fitness to meet with co-owner Michael and see some of the fantastic facilities they have on offer for locals. Michael gave me a tour of the gym where it was clear just how busy and in demand their services are, and I also got a chance to see the next stage of works, which includes a dedicated gym area for women, which will no doubt be very popular. Later that day I hosted a small business round table with the Minister for Small Business where we had the opportunity to hear from local businesses about some of their experiences, as well as talk about some of the supports and grants that are available to them through Business Victoria. Following that meeting those business owners have already set up a traders association, and I wish them all the best. Thank you to both Anil at Evaryde ice cream and Michael at Genesis Health & Fitness for inviting me to visit them, along with Avtar and all the small business owners who attended the round table. I am looking forward to working with all of you.

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (10:00): I was very pleased to attend the Hume volunteers civic reception over the weekend to acknowledge some local hardworking volunteers as part of National Volunteer Week. I was particularly pleased to do this as Victoria’s first minister for volunteers and to show my respect for our incredibly valued and important community members. As part of this celebration more than 120 volunteers were recognised and thanked for the time that they give to our community. This year’s theme for National Volunteer Week was ‘Something for Everyone’, which asks all of us to explore the rich diversity of opportunities available through volunteering. At the reception we heard from three fantastic volunteers: Eva Mazzel, a Gardens for Wildlife volunteer, Shayne Taylor from the SES and Megan Russell, who is part of the reconciliation action plan working group. Eva, Shayne and Megan spoke about not only the long-term benefits volunteering can have across the broader community but also just how important their experiences as volunteers have been in their personal journeys of growth and upskilling. I thank them for sharing their stories. I am so pleased to see our hardworking local volunteers being recognised and celebrated for their contribution to our community. I know so many of our community members undertake volunteering roles. Our community is better thanks to them – from the CFA and the SES to every community sports club, the Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee, local residents associations and so many more. As the local member for Kalkallo and Minister for Carers and Volunteers, I thank all those who give their time to benefit others in the community.  

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (10:00): There has been terrific news across the Kalkallo electorate for grassroots sport over the past few weeks, with exciting announcements that will make a meaningful difference and help improve opportunities for participation. As part of the latest round of the Local Sports Infrastructure Fund, lighting will be installed at Aston Reserve standalone soccer pitch. This announcement has been hugely welcomed by Craigieburn City Football Club, which boasts a massive 67 teams this year. I would like to thank Paul and Joanne Dugo, who have been tireless advocates for this upgrade and on behalf of Craigieburn City generally. But it is not just soccer that is benefiting from this government’s investment; the recent state budget also provided a boost for the Craigieburn tennis courts, with funding for lighting that will enable more court time for local residents. This upgrade is great news for members of the longstanding Craigieburn Tennis Club, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the club on celebrating its 50th birthday this year. What a terrific milestone. Finally, I recently had the opportunity to visit the Craigieburn Sports Stadium upgrade. Works on stage ‍1 are almost complete, including the construction of three new multisport courts for basketball, netball and badminton. Backed by a $5 million contribution from the Allan Labor government and delivered in partnership with Hume City Council, this massive upgrade is incredibly important for the Craigieburn Netball Association, the Craigieburn Ladies Badminton Club and of course the mighty Craigieburn Eagles Basketball Association. Grassroots sport is at the heart of Melbourne’s growing outer north, and I am thrilled this government is continuing to deliver important investments and outcomes.  

Whether it’s helping with the cost of living, making sure our kids can be their best, record funding for our healthcare system or continuing to...

The Allan Labor Government is helping people to get great jobs – near where they live – through a local Mentors program that is assisting...

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (09:54): I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ammar Mahmoud on his recent appointment to the Victorian Youth Congress. The Victorian Youth Congress is an advisory group of young people aged between 12 and 25 who work with the Victorian government to identify and advocate for issues that matter to them. Ammar attends Elevation Secondary College in my electorate and has been an active member of my Kalkallo Youth Advisory Council since the beginning of last year, where he has had the opportunity to talk with me and his peers about the issues that are important to young people locally. Congratulations again to Ammar. I am sure his time on the Kalkallo Youth Advisory Council has prepared him well for this new and exciting opportunity. This is an incredibly well deserved appointment, and I look forward to hearing about Ammar’s experience and watching him excel.

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (09:55): On another matter, last week I had the honour of attending the 2024 Anzac Day service in Craigieburn, where, along with the member for Greenvale, I laid a wreath on behalf of the Victorian government in memory of those who have served. In a service which grows in numbers every year, it was great to see so many people in attendance and the participation of emergency services, community groups and schools from Craigieburn and surrounds, including students from Mickleham Secondary College, Hume Anglican Grammar, Elevation Secondary College, Gilgai Plains Primary School and Our Lady’s Primary School. I would like to thank Kevin O’Callaghan and all of the members of the Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee, whose dedication and hard work made this incredibly important and touching service happen.

This brand new 5-hectare Active Open Space includes an irrigated kick out lawn, a community picnic area with BBQs, drinking fountains, shelters, tables, and seating,...