Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:15): My members statement is in regard to the Blackburn station craft market, which I had the pleasure of attending on Saturday morning with my colleague Mr McGowan. Like many local markets, it is a market that is getting to a point of recovery from the lockdown era. It had to build itself back up from a very low ebb, and I would really like to commend the market for reintroducing back to the community the vibrancy, the variety and the opportunity to see different kinds of businesses. We had local crafts and home and garden providers. We had the local church St John’s providing free pancakes and face paints. We had a number of small microbusinesses setting up and having a valuable economic outlet for themselves. We had Skedaddle the traditional jazz band doing authentic jazz from the 1920s and 30s. I absolutely commend the Rotary Club of Forest Hill, who are all volunteers of course, setting up and running at their own effort this market for the community, and I strongly encourage all local members in my electorate to get down to South Parade in Blackburn on every second Saturday each month to enjoy the market.