Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (09:54): It is official: Melbourne is simply the best. Melbourne has been crowned the number one city in the world in Time Out’s 2026 global best cities ranking. For those of us in the Northern Metropolitan Region, it is certainly not hard to see why. Our patch is home to some of the best attractions that our city has to offer – the vibrant, livable place that it is today. You only have to look at the last few weeks to see Melbourne at its absolute best. We have seen massive crowds flocking to the Moomba festival along the Yarra and record-breaking attendance at the Formula One, and of course the return of the footy has brought that unmistakeable energy back to the MCG. It was particularly special to see a hard-fought win for the Blues last week. But beyond the major events, what truly makes Melbourne the world’s best place is the everyday experiences – the local cafes, the world-class restaurants and the incredible diversity of our city. It is our local small businesses in Northern Metro that are the backbone of that reputation. I want to congratulate every Melburnian who contributes to the liveliness of our city on proving that Melbourne certainly is the place to be.