Ms
TIERNEY (Western Victoria) — My question is to the Minister for Industry
and Trade, Martin Pakula. Can the minister update the house on how the Brumby
Labor government is taking action to support the Australian fashion industry and
how this is boosting jobs and the Victorian economy?
Hon.
M. P. PAKULA (Minister for Industry and Trade) — I thank Ms Tierney for her
question and her interest in the fashion industry. I am aware that she is
attending the Sheepvention fashion parade in Hamilton pretty soon, and I am
aware of how critical the wool industry is in supporting the fashion industry. I
am pleased to — —
Hon. J. M. Madden interjected.
Hon. M. P. PAKULA — You should ask Ms Tierney. I am pleased to
inform the house that the recent 2009 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival has
once again reaffirmed its position as not only an exceptional major event for
the city of Melbourne but one of the great fashion festivals of the nation and
indeed the globe. Yesterday the organisers of the fashion festival announced
that in the face of the worst global recession in 80 years the 2009 event is
estimated to have contributed $69.9 million to the local economy. Once you
incorporate flow-ons, the impact of expenditures is estimated at over $88
million for the local economy.
The results of the 2009 fashion festival, which were released
yesterday, were once again absolutely outstanding. Over 371 000 people attended
the events and activities around the fashion festival. To put that into context,
people talk about the New York festival and the Milan festival, but they are
fundamentally industry events or events for the sector.
There is no event in the world that engages local community
attendance to a degree that even approaches that of the L’Oreal Melbourne
Fashion Festival. Over 300 fashion brands and designers participated in the
festival, and key retailer shows and productions were put on throughout the
week. There were over 118 officially sanctioned events as part of the program,
and 74 corporate, industry and government sector sponsor partnerships were
employed. Almost 1600 Victorians were directly employed on the various events
surrounding this year’s L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival.
The 2010 preparations are already well under way. We have
already announced the dates for next year, which are 14 to 22 March 2010. I hope
to see a number of members of this chamber, from both sides of the house, turn
up and support the event. I have already noted that there are a number of
members opposite who I think would not be out of place amongst the sartorially
splendid attendees of the conference.
Honourable members interjecting.
Mr Jennings — Mr O’Brien would be interested in commenting on
it!
Hon. M. P. PAKULA — I do not reckon Mr Guy would be out of
place, for one. I hope to see members from both sides of the house there next
year supporting this absolutely fantastic event — not just the best fashion
festival — —
Mr D. Davis interjected.
Hon. M. P. PAKULA — Mr Davis, I do all my own work in that
regard.
Mr D. Davis — Somebody had to give one back, as you know.
Hon. M. P. PAKULA — Mr Davis, as someone who would make Al
Grassby look like Hugo Boss, I would not be interjecting!
We are proud to be a great supporter of this event. We hope we
will have bipartisan support, in terms of both the running of and attendance at
the event next year. This is not just one of the great fashion festivals of this
country; it is one of the very best on the planet.