Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (16:55): Whilst Ballarat is well known for its winter weather, freezing temperatures and icy wind chills, the show must go on and it does. Congratulations to the BLOC Music Theatre on their staging of 9 to 5: The Musical at the Civic Hall for two weeks in July.

Well done to the cast, crew and orchestra for putting their heart and soul into an outstanding production, with stellar performances and amazing singing and dancing supported by skilled sound and lighting. The fantastic costuming, hairdressing and make-up transported us to the 1970s workplace of Violet, Judy and Doralee.

Thank you to BLOC chairperson Jason Muller and the committee for their enduring commitment to musical theatre and the countless hours they volunteer to create opportunities for talented performers and musicians to entertain our community

And I just want to say well done to Sovereign Hill with their Winter Wonderlights – 80,000 visitors, 21 kilometres of fairy lights and spectacular light projections. Well done, and what an innovation.

You can take a look at more of my speeches to Parliament here.