Friday, 28 August 2026

 Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (09:55): Last night the Federation University Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards were held at the Mercure convention centre in Main Road in Ballarat, and I want to extend my sincere congratulations to the business of the year winner, which was Springhill Farm. Springhill Farm have been operating in Ballarat for 35 years, and they are a proud local family business. Their snacks are in all supermarkets across the country, actually. They are in many of the aeroplanes that we get on, and you will even see them when you go and donate blood. Congratulations to all the award recipients last night and to the nominees in all the different categories. I also want to particularly pay tribute to and congratulate Jodie Gillett OAM, who is the CEO of Commerce Ballarat, who has always backed local businesses. Jodie and her team do an amazing job making the business awards one of the must-be-at events on the Ballarat calendar. I have been proud to work with Jodie for a period of time, because we on this side of the chamber always back small businesses, and I have been really proud to partner with Jodie in a number of instances to back business.