Happy Mother’s Day.
My mum is wonderful. Teacher, ukulele aficionado, painter, maker of a mean lasagne, cheerer-oner-er.
To all the mums and mother figures who go above and beyond. Happy Mother’s Day.
Thinking of everyone who is missing a mum, too.
Perfect Melbourne Autumn scene from Yarraville 🏉 🌆
A Friday favourite @magic.momo.kafe ❤️
This beautiful little restaurant has been keeping us all happy with their beautiful Nepalese food for years. A West Footscray gem.
100 Story Building is a magical place - there's a trap door and a time machine -and the only thing stopping you is your own imagination.
Last week, 100 Story Building opened their new space thanks to the Victorian Government’s West Gate Neighbourhood Fund.
Best of all, it's right next door to my office! I can't wait to be inspired by osmosis.
For so many women, suffering in silence is the norm. We are told from a young age that it is normal, and we need to get on with it.
It's not. The Allan Labor Government is introducing pelvic pain and menstrual health education in government schools starting next year.
The sessions will be curriculum-aligned, age-appropriate, and evidence-based, helping empower students to know when and how to seek help.
Bridging the gap in women's health won't be easy, but the Allan Labor Government is dedicated to making it happen.
Representation matters. Creating spaces for women and gender-diverse people matters.
That's why I was so happy to speak in Parliament last week to sing the praises of Footscray United Rangers and Maribyrnong Swifts.
We are lucky to have two fantastic clubs that have created spaces for women and gender-diverse people to enjoy everything that comes with being a team.
Thank you, @footscrayunitedrangersfc, for inviting me to your club two weekends ago. I'll definitely be back!
TRUCK BAN WIN
The truck bans are coming and as a result of our budget win yesterday – enforcement cameras are coming too.
This morning I met with Martin Wurt – who has worked so hard with Maribyrnong Truck Action Group to advocate for greater enforcement and @melissaforwilliamstown, our Roads Minister and a fellow inner westie. My sincerest thanks to Martin, the MTAG community and Melissa. We came together to secure this funding and we have made it happen.
What this means is that residents can have the confidence that when the West Gate Tunnel opens the 24/7 truck bans will work and there will be tough penalties for drivers who break the law.
This is a great outcome for our community.
This is what community-led action looks like.
My petition for truck safety cameras received more than 450 signatures, to introduce cameras on key roads to enforce truck bans once the West Gate Tunnel Project opens.
To everyone who signed the petition, thank you! It is because of you that I can proudly announce that this year's budget will include $10 million to install truck safety cameras that enforce truck bans on local roads.
Through your support, I was able to make it happen.
Thank you, Minister @melissaforwilliamstown, for listening to our community.
The facade is finished!
The State Revenue Office has millions of dollars worth of refunds, bonds, interest, and unclaimed cash waiting to be collected.
Visit the website and check if you're on the list, search for 'SRO unclaimed money'
If you like pina coladas… 🎵
@lay_low_bar
❤️ #seddon
@aflauskick is back! 132 kids down here at the @w.f.roostersjuniors with a girls group for the first time.
I love this club ❤️ #wefo
The Container Deposit Scheme is expanding in Footscray!
A brand new reverse vending machine has officially opened at 71-81 Whitehall Street in Footscray.
Bottles, cans, and containers—they're all accepted and all worth 10 cents a pop.
Putting money back in your pocket and keeping containers out of our waterways.
Find your nearest location by searching for 'CDS Victoria'
This morning I presented Roads Minister @melissaforwilliamstown our petition for truck enforcement cameras for when the Westgate Tunnel opens.
To secure this, we need legislative changes through the Victorian Parliament and funding.
The monitoring of truck movements is currently enforced by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
We had a great discussion about the importance of the truck bans to our community.
Melissa has been a great support to us - as a local inner westie, she absolutely gets it.
This is a major priority for me as we prepare for the opening of the Tunnel taking 9000 trucks a day off our local roads.
314.
That's how many people have signed my petition so far – thank you. Currently truck movements are monitored by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The introduction of enforcement cameras will require legislative change and funding for the cameras. I want to secure this so that the bans work as soon as the West Gate Tunnel Project opens in 2025. Thank you for your overwhelming support for this idea.
The next step is presenting it to the Minister tomorrow, I'll keep our community updated on our progress.
There's still time to sign the petition; head to the link in my bio.
This year @footscrayarts will start their $8.7 million upgrade – with a new amphitheatre performance space. I was proud to secure this funding and can’t wait to see the project take shape.
And it was fantastic to invite the Minister for Creative Industries, @brooksymp, to receive an update on the progress of the upgrades. I'm always proud to invite my colleagues to Footscray Arts, especially when I can introduce them to the incredible ArtLife program.
Do you have any left-over, unused disposable nappies at home?
Thousands of Victorians suffer from nappy stress, where they can't afford to buy nappies for their babies.
For the next month, the wonderful The Nappy Collective Collective is running a national nappy drive.
Please bring any unused nappies you have to my office (204 Nicholson Street, Footscray), and the Nappy Collective will distribute them to charity partners and families in crisis that need them.
Melbourne is the live music capital of Australia – and the Allan Labor Government is making sure it stays that way.
The Victorian Gig Fund is giving grants of up to $10,000 for thousands of live music gigs across the state, and the Live Music Festivals Fund has opened grants of up to $50,000 to support local music festivals too.
Venues can find out how to get involved below!
It’s open. It’s amazing. There’s even a Blues Brothers style fenced-in stage.
Welcome to Footscray, @moondogwildwest
‘He served in some of the worst battles of world war one; at the Somme and Yypres in terrible conditions. He fought in knee deep mud, in rain and freezing weather. He told me about one rest period spent at a delousing centre with baths where the men could rid themselves and their infested clothes of lice. Sometimes they used matches to go along seams to get rid of the lice.’
These are my great-grandmother, Linda Vipont’s words.
My great-grandfather, William Alexander Hall, was 16 when he enlisted in the Australian Army in 1916. He lied about his age, like many others, to ensure that he could serve his country.
Although he wasn’t the same, he was lucky. He came home.
Today we remember and honour the sacrifice of all of our veterans.
Lest we forget.