Jaq Grantford
Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Minister for Planning, Minister for the Suburbs) (09:57): Congratulations to Carrum Downs local Jaq Grantford for winning the People’s Choice Award for the 2023 Archibald Prize. Jack painted Noni Hazlehurst, who many will know from her two decades on the ABC television show Play School. The painting titled Through the Window pays homage to Noni’s enduring work on Play School, depicting her gazing out at us through a rain-streaked, foggy window. It is a fabulous painting, and quite clearly the people loved it. Jaq said it was Noni’s speech delivered in 2016 at Noni’s induction into the Logie Hall of Fame that made her want to paint Noni even more. In that speech Noni called out racism, sexism and bigotry. She spoke about her time on Play School and seeing the world through preschoolers’ eyes – to see how free and unafraid they are to just be but also how easily overwhelmed they are, how easily abused and particularly how empathetic they are. ‘No child is born a bigot’ – truer words were never spoken.