Geelong Arts Centre
Chris COUZENS (Geelong) (13:22): Last week Geelong was full of excitement with the official grand reopening of the Andrews Labor government’s $140 million commitment to the redeveloped Geelong Arts Centre, the largest and best regional arts centre in the country. I was joined by the Minister for Creative Industries and some special guests – Rachel Griffiths AM, who MCed this amazing evening, and Jessica Mauboy, who put on an outstanding performance. The new arts centre is also a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of First Peoples. I acknowledge and thank the First Peoples artists Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles, Tarryn Love, Gerard Black, Mick Ryan and Kait James for sharing and embedding their culture with us. It gives all of us an opportunity to learn about First Peoples storytelling and connection to country for over 60,000 years and to walk softly on Wadawurrung country to see, to listen to and to respect First Peoples culture. It was a privilege to hear the beautiful singing voices of Piper Knox, Jess Hitchcock and Ngara McEwen in language during the opening, along with the welcome to country from Wadawurrung traditional owners Corrina Eccles and Norm Stanley. A huge thank you to the CEO Joel McGuinness and the team of amazing people and the Geelong Performing Arts Centre Trust – all of them made this possible. To ARM Architecture and Lendlease, thank you. And importantly, I acknowledge and thank the local workers who built it and who for decades to come can be proud of their work.