Thursday, 16 October 2025

 Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Community Safety, Minister for Victims, Minister for Racing) (09:48): I thank the member for Melbourne for her statement. On the weekend I was at the Manangatang Cup to watch Holly’s Star win an exciting Manangatang Cup. Holly’s Star will be back at the St Arnaud Cup next Saturday and I am told is one to watch. Unfortunately I will not be at St Arnaud, because I will be at the valley to watch Australia’s best race, the WS Cox Plate on Saturday week. Through the Major Racing Events Fund the Moonee Valley Racing Club received half a million dollars to celebrate the valley at the Cox Plate Carnival, the last one at the valley before its redevelopment. It is a really significant event, and I know that it is going to be packed to the rafters out there at Moonee Valley.

I will be at Caulfield Cup this weekend, where I was really pleased that the government provided half a million dollars from the Major Racing Events Fund for the Caulfield Cup Carnival. It kicked off last Saturday with the running of the Caulfield Guineas. The grant will go a long way to expanding initiatives such as entertainment at the jockey club, building on the success of the 2024 structure and event. The Victorian Racing Industry Fund has provided significant grants in recent times to the Bendigo Harness Racing Club of $1.3 million to upgrade their LED lighting and technology systems, as well as the Bendigo Jockey Club receiving $530,000 to replace the track after the Bendigo Cup in a couple of weeks time. And I was pleased to be up in your neck of the woods, Speaker, with the Premier for those announcements. I was at the Benalla Cup grand final on Friday with the Treasurer, a very local Treasurer in the Benalla region, and we announced $1.55 million for the complete redevelopment of the track.