Thursday,20 March 2025
Questions without notice and ministers statements
Ministers statements: major events
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Ministers statements: major events
Steve DIMOPOULOS (Oakleigh – Minister for Environment, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:23): I rise to update the house on why we are the major events capital. Melbourne is the only city in the world to have both a grand slam tennis event and a grand prix, and we have been smashing attendance records lately – for example, the best ever grand prix attendance in Albert Park, the biggest ever women’s Ashes attendance, the biggest ever Australian Open crowd and in 2024 the biggest ever Boxing Day test attendance.
Last week was a really big week for events in our state: the Formula One Grand Prix; the Kusama exhibition at the NGV, as the Minister for Creative Industries knows; Beauty and the Beast at Her Majesty’s Theatre; the Port Fairy Folk Festival, which I loved; the Lost Trades Fair in Bendigo; and the Frida Kahlo exclusive exhibition in Bendigo.
Next week there is a Royal Caribbean cruise departing Brisbane for seven nights. It is departing next Friday, in fact, at 4:30 at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal. For those opposite: you might get to spend some quality time with the Leader of the Opposition, but I would encourage you not to go, because you will be missing so much in Victoria.
Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, former Speaker Brooks has said that ministers statements are an opportunity to countenance government policy. Perhaps the minister has none, but I would ask you to ask him to desist from attacking the opposition.
The SPEAKER: I also countenance the minister to come back to his ministers statement.
Steve DIMOPOULOS: My point is: do not leave Victoria for Queensland on a cruise ship because you will miss the Avalon air show, you will miss the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, you will miss the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, you will miss the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and you will miss the Castlemaine Fringe Festival in the Speaker’s electorate, the KaBloom festival in the member for Monbulk’s electorate and the national golf tournament in the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party’s electorate.
We are making our major events calendar even better. Under this Premier we have secured the first ever NFL match in this country. Under this Premier we have secured the first ever NBA match in this country, and we have locked in the Boxing Day test for years to come. We are one of only three cities around the world, outside the US, to have NFL, NHL and NBL, and we do that by staying in Victoria, not cruising up the Queensland coast.