CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Ms CATHERINE KING (Ballarat—Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) (09:51): As minister, I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to see many projects being delivered across the country. But while new buildings and upgraded facilities are really important, what matters most is what they mean to the communities that use them.

In my own community, the Eastwood Leisure Complex in the heart of Ballarat is a true community asset. For more than 80 years, it's been a place where people can come together. It's the home of the mighty Wildcats basketball team.

It hosts everything from U3A classes and holiday programs to mahjong groups and Irish dancing. It's a vibrant hub that serves people of all ages and backgrounds. To ensure it remains accessible and fit for purpose, this government invested $8.5 million through the competitive Growing Regions Program to transform the facility.

I recently attended the start of demolition works, and it was exciting to reflect on what Eastwood has meant to generations of Ballarat residents while imagining what it will become for future generations. Another project I'm particularly proud of is the Vickers Street Community Hub in Sebastopol. Late last year we officially opened this fantastic new facility, supported by $4.5 million that I was proud to secure alongside the Prime Minister during the 2022 election campaign.

The project replaced the old building with a purpose-built community hub featuring meeting rooms, a large multipurpose space and a commercial kitchen. What makes it especially unique is that it is shared by both the senior citizens group and a kindergarten, creating opportunities for connection across generations. Importantly, the City of Ballarat worked closely with the senior citizens group to preserve photographs and memories from the original building, ensuring the community's history remains very much part of its future.

And, certainly, the well-loved library and book exchange is there as well. Anyone who's spent time in Ballarat knows that it's a welcoming and inclusive city. Since the multicultural communities of the goldfields era, Ballarat has embraced people from all over the world.

It's why I was again delighted to see that $500,000 has been allocated to the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council's Ballarat Welcome Centre. With work now underway, the upgraded facility will better connect people with settlement, employment and health services while providing welcoming spaces for community activities. Just as importantly, the upgrade will create a welcoming and modern workplace for the staff and the volunteers, ensuring that they have the facilities they need to continue supporting multicultural communities across our region.

These projects remind us that, while governments can help to build infrastructure, it is the people who bring these places to life. It's the friendships formed, the connections strengthened and the memories created within these walls that make our communities stronger, more resilient and more connected.