Ms ADDISON (Wendouree) (11:46:54): My question is for the Minister for Racing and is about the 2019 Ballarat Cup, to be held on Saturday, 23 November, at Dowling Forest Racecourse, one of Victoria’s premier racing and training venues.

We are proud that it is the home of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne and her brother Stevie. The Ballarat Cup is a great day out for young and old, a chance to spend time with friends, dress up and have fun. It also provides an important boost to our local economy.

I am thrilled that Ballarat will host the richest country cup of Australia, with $500 000 in prize money, and I want to encourage people to come to the Ballarat Cup.

Minister, can you please advise what this government is doing to support racing at Ballarat and how we are going to provide an enhanced race day experience for racegoers at this year’s Ballarat Cup? And if you could arrange some great weather, that would be most appreciated.

Read the Minister’s response here – or for more of my contributions in Parliament, click here.