Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 Chris COUZENS (Geelong) (10:44): Last week I joined the celebration for the opening of the Mercer Street social supermarket and education kitchen, one of Geelong Foodshare’s flagship services. Every Geelong family deserves to know where their next meal is coming from. The Mercer Street social supermarket is showing what that looks like in practice. I want to acknowledge and thank the CEO Andrew Schauble, the team and the board members for the incredible work they are doing across the Geelong region. In particular I want to acknowledge and thank the awesome volunteers for the commitment and passion that they have put into Geelong Foodshare every single day. Mercer Street lets customers choose groceries in a welcoming supermarket-style environment with respect and dignity. With extended hours, including late nights, busy families and individuals can access support when they need it. Culturally appropriate food options reflect Geelong’s diverse communities. An onsite kitchen will deliver education to help families build skills, confidence and long-term food security. The social supermarket model also helps tackle food waste by redirecting surplus food into the community. The strength in Geelong’s ability to collaborate and support each other is evidenced in the support given to the Mercer Street social supermarket by many across our community. A great example is that the chefs from the Nyaal Banyul conference and exhibition centre will assist in the cooking classes. I am proud to back Geelong Foodshare.