Kim O’KEEFFE (Shepparton) (10:18): I have been incredibly proud to have the Shepparton showcase here at Parliament House this week in Queen’s Hall, an event that proudly highlights the very best of Shepparton district and the Goulburn Valley and the success and opportunities that exist. The Goulburn Valley is renowned as Australia’s food bowl, proudly producing a significant share of the nation’s fruit, vegetables and dairy products as well as global export. The showcase demonstrates why our region is one of Victoria’s most important economic powerhouses in the country, from world-class food manufacturing and agriculture to innovation, tourism, horticulture, dairy, transport, manufacturing and small business.
Showcasing our region has been an opportunity to share and celebrate some of our iconic brands that have helped put the Goulburn Valley on the map both nationally and internationally – iconic brands like SPC, Campbell’s soup, Continental, Pental and White King, to name a few. These are brands that generations of Australians have grown up with, but they may not realise that these brands and products on the supermarket shelf are made in the Shepparton region. Everything you see on display is packed, picked, produced and manufactured in Greater Shepparton. We also are an amazing tourism destination, with attractions like Picasso and the Archibald Prize currently on exhibition at the Shepparton Art Museum and the Museum of Vehicle Evolution, one of the largest car, truck and transport museums in the country. We have amazing hospitality, retail and visitation experiences for all. It is an amazing place to do business, work and call home. Congratulations to the Greater Shepparton City Council and to everyone who contributed to make the Shepparton showcase such a success.