Ms ADDISON (Wendouree): Thank you to the Ballarat community for their efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by following the rules and staying safe. Thanks for all you have given up. Thanks for coming up with creative ways to stay connected while staying at home. Thanks for supporting your children’s learning at home, and thanks to our teachers.

Thank you to our healthcare workers who have cared for the 59 people in our community who have had COVID. We now have zero active cases, thanks to our world-class health care in Ballarat.

Thank you to our local businesses for being resilient and innovative during this second challenging lockdown. Thanks to Commerce Ballarat for their initiative and strong advocacy during the pandemic.

Thank you to the Premier for his steadfast leadership, Professor Brett Sutton for his evidence-based health advice and ministers for their tireless work. Thanks to their hardworking staff, particularly Ash Munoz and Abby Pinskier.

Thank you to my brilliant team—Kallista Kaval, Matt Burns and Caroline Vanderklift-Stobart—for going above and beyond to support me and assist Wendouree constituents during this challenging time.

The move to step 3 restrictions has been most welcomed. We are looking forward to children returning to school and life getting back to what we know. I am confident that our local businesses will thrive again with strong community support.

Thank you, Ballarat.

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