Thursday, 28 October 2021

 Mr PAKULA (Keysborough—Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, Minister for Trade, Minister for Business Precincts, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Racing) (14:21): I wish to update the house on the restart of the events calendar this weekend. It starts with the Melbourne Cup Carnival—35 500 racing fans at Flemington across the four days of the carnival, starting with Derby Day on Saturday. That carnival of course is absolutely critical to the state. The last carnival with crowds, in 2019, provided more than $430 million in economic benefits to the state. The Victoria Racing Club will undoubtedly put on four spectacular days of racing, iconic Victorian events that will be broadcast around the world that will remind everyone of our reputation as the events capital of Australia, and the images being broadcast out of Flemington will undoubtedly be superb. Racing fans will be out in force across the state. There are more than 2000 patrons anticipated at the Peninsula Cup this coming Sunday at Mornington, and crowds will be returning to our picnic meetings as soon as Saturday week at Balnarring.

And that is just the beginning. Live theatre will be back very soon with the long-awaited launch of Moulin Rouge! at the Regent on 12 November, Frozen on the same night at Her Majesty’s Theatre and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child from 18 November doing huge things for our CBD.

Heading into the summer, tens of thousands of cricket fans will be back at the MCG for the Boxing Day test to witness the battle for the Ashes. January will see the return of the Australian Open with a fully vaccinated crowd and fully vaccinated participants, despite the fears of the member for Caulfield, who thinks otherwise.

In March we will have Elvis: Direct from Graceland at the Bendigo Art Gallery. We are looking forward to welcoming Daniel Ricciardo home in April with the Formula One Grand Prix in Albert Park—and there will be much, much, much more, just you wait. Events large and small across the state will start returning with the easing of restrictions from tomorrow. So sing, eat, drink, cheer and most importantly get out there and enjoy everything Victoria has to offer.