Tuesday, 28 May 2024

 Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (14:17): I ‍rise today to update the house on this government’s historic investment in local ports, piers and jetties, and I hope that the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events will not mind me straying too far into his patch, because piers and jetties go hand in glove with tourism.

What better place to start than the $58 million rebuild of the iconic St Kilda Pier, Victoria’s biggest ever pier project. St Kilda Pier attracts over 830,000 visitors annually, and it is estimated that each and every one of those visitors spends around $50 every single visit. According to the maths, 830,000 times 50 is more than $40 million going directly to St Kilda businesses each year. The new pier comes with a dedicated viewing platform so the cutest members of the St Kilda community – sorry, it is not you, member for Albert Park, it is the little penguins – can be safe and enjoyed all summer. I was out onsite with the member for Albert Park recently to see the progress, and I am sure she will agree it looks absolutely stunning. It is going to be a huge driver for tourism, bringing people not only from across Victoria but from across the world.

But that is just one project in a long list, because this government has invested more than $150 million in our piers and jetties since 2018. That means boosting local economies, just like for the member for Bellarine, the member for Bass, the member for Mornington, the member for Nepean and even the member for Gippsland South. I feel a bit like Oprah: you get a pier, you get a pier and even you get a pier. We are making these investments because we know that tourism is the lifeblood of our coastal regions and that piers and jetties bring more than $900 million to local and regional economies every year. I am really proud of the work that this government has done to invest in piers and jetties to support tourism and boost local economies in Victoria.