Thursday, 30 November 2023

Northern Metropolitan Region

Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (12:44): (612) My question today is to the Minister for Education. The Ballerrt Mooroop (Strong Spirit) Site is located on Hilton Street in Glenroy in my electorate on Wurundjeri land. After years of advocacy by local First Nations communities, in 2021 the Merri-bek council commissioned a feasibility study which found that the site is culturally and educationally significant for First Nations people, including being home to the Spirit Tree or Uncle Tom’s Tree. It was previously the site of the Ballerrt Mooroop Koorie Pathways School. Since advocacy work began on the site, a range of actions have been taken to establish a steering group and facilitate the lease and management of the site by the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung corporation. The successful Ballerrt Mooroop Day was held on 28 May this year to give the community an opportunity to explore and reconnect with the site. The First Nations vision for the site is for it to become a first-of-its-kind community health, education and cultural hub for First Nations people and the broader community. Minister, to secure this inspiring vision will you please provide support to facilitate the transfer of the title to the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, with guaranteed funding to build the multipurpose First Nations community precinct?