Wednesday, 31 August 2022

 Ms WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (09:59): I recently hosted a stall at the iconic CERES environmental precinct makers and flea market, and it was a great day spent with my local community supporting local makers and small businesses as well as chatting with locals about how the Andrews Labor government is delivering for Melbourne’s inner north. I would like to extend my thanks to stallholder and market coordinator Jorge Duran for allowing me to come and meet so many CERES-loving locals. I even managed to resist the temptation to buy even more pre-loved books. I did—it was hard, I have got to say.

Extending my love of CERES was also my recent visit with the CEO, Cinnamon Evans, as well as the chair of the board, Andrew Hewett, to discuss their plans to expand their environmental work and create the CERES environmental precinct, which will accommodate not-for-profit organisations, community groups, local government schools and businesses seeking unique meeting spaces for a variety of events. CERES makes a big impact, not just locally but across the whole of our state. It is an iconic place to so many people from all over Melbourne. Indeed it was founded by local legends in the labour movement, and I am keen to continue to work with CERES to achieve positive outcomes for both the park and the broader community.