Parliament House, 10 September 2015.
I rise to speak about the 2015 Noble Park Community Centre Art Show, which I recently had the great pleasure of launching. Noble Park is one of the great communities of metropolitan Melbourne. Unlike many other suburbs in Melbourne's south-east, Noble Park is a long-established community, having celebrated its centenary in 2009. It is a diverse, multicultural and multifaceted community that features some of the great characters of my electorate and is home to many talented artists.
The Noble Park Community Centre Art Show has become an institution of the Noble Park community, this year celebrating its 10th yeara fantastic achievement for a show organised by volunteers. I pay tribute to Heather Duggan, the organiser of the Noble Park Community Centre Art Show, and to her committee of hardworking volunteers. I also thank Brian Woodman, the manager of the Noble Park Community Centre, which hosts the show each year, and City of Greater Dandenong councillor Roz Blades, who is a tireless supporter of the show and who attended the launch with me.
As the shadow minister for the arts, I am privileged to visit many art shows around the country. Call me biased, but there is no event that I enjoy so much as the Noble Park Community Centre Art Show. The show truly represents the artistic expression of the wonderfully vibrant and diverse community of Noble Park. It is an emerging stop on Melbourne's arts calendar and is an opportunity for so many local artists to have their work displayed. I congratulate all artists and the organising committee for their work in making this wonderful event what it is. Communities are held together by volunteers and cultural events. The Noble Park Community Art Show is a key event for the Noble Park community and one that keeps Noble Park the lively, artistic centre that it has become.
The Noble Park Community Centre Art Show will be held over the weekend of 10 and 11 October. David O'Halloran, a distinguished curator of some thirty years experience, will be acting as judge of the show. I wish him the best because there will be many artists with strong claims to prizes this year. I encourage all Melbourne residents to put the date in their calendar. If there are any members in the chamber who are interested in viewing some excellent art, I would be more than happy to show them around.
