I begin with a huge congratulations to Northcote Primary School, which over the weekend celebrated 150 years. It was fantastic to join their school fete and even contribute a photo of my own to the historical archive: a snap of me as a prep student with my teacher Wendy. 

We were also treated to a display of the famous chalk drawings hidden for decades and uncovered during the school’s renovation: incredibly detailed depictions of goblins and fairytales, brought to life by former teacher Elaine Hobbs – a small snapshot of the beauty of my former school. 

I offer Northcote Primary my warmest wishes as they look to the next chapter.

Just a short stroll up from Northcote Primary, it would be remiss of me not to point out that you can find yourself in none other than the coolest street in the world. Yes, Speaker, you heard right. As reported last week, High Street in Melbourne’s north is officially the coolest street – not in Melbourne, not in Victoria, not in Australia; in the world.

Brunswick Street is all right; Chapel Street, okay, sure; Sydney Road, yes, it has got some spice. But High Street in Northcote, Thornbury and Preston has a special magic. Time Out described our epic restaurants, hidden bars, live music venues and boutique shops but also our warm sense of community that means everyone feels welcome.

It has been an honour to support this one-of-a-kind street with two major festivals funded by the Victorian Labor government – the Eighty-Six and Northcote Rise. I invite all members to join me on the coolest street in the world.