Thursday, 9 June 2022

Ministers statements: Northcote festival funding

Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:14): I am very pleased to update the house on yet another exciting initiative of our government to support small businesses. It was an absolute delight earlier in the week to join the local member for Northcote, Kat Theophanous, and several traders in High Street, Northcote, at Zsa’s Bar Bistro Deli to announce $300 000 towards the return of a family-friendly festival for this iconic shopping strip. Kat is not only an excellent and hardworking, passionate representative for her community; this idea is something that she has developed alongside Zsa’s owner, Zowie Minchin.

With this funding, Northcote’s High Street will become a hive of activity celebrating all that the inner north has to offer. Local traders association Northcote Rise will build on the success of popular past events in the area, like the High Noon and High Vibes festivals of past, to create a new offering and experience for people of all ages. The Northcote festival will feature local artists, outdoor dining and bars, mini stages and stalls from local traders, and early planning is already underway. Funding from the government through this initiative in our budget will help Northcote Rise cover the costs of running the large-scale event, including equipment hire, health and safety officers, permits, traffic management and other related fees.

Before I wrap up, if I could, a quick plug: businesses or groups planning to hold an event or festival can access Business Victoria’s new event-planning tool, which connects them with all the permits and resources needed to plan a safe and successful festival, at business.vic.gov.au. While the weather is a bit ordinary right now, it is the perfect time to start planning for sunnier times, and I am very excited to see what Zowie and her fellow traders put together in Northcote.