Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — Thank you, President, for your earlier birthday wishes that mark the anniversary of my 21st birthday. I could not be happier than to spend today with everyone in this chamber. I must say that when I had my 21st birthday I could not have imagined I would be celebrating it here.
Ms Shing — Where else would you rather be?
Ms PATTEN — Nowhere. I thank Ms Shing. I take this opportunity, as part of my adjournment contribution, to talk a little bit about the creativity and innovation I have found in Northern Metropolitan Region. I have met with over 100 different groups — —
The PRESIDENT — Order! Who is the member raising her adjournment matter with?
Ms PATTEN — The Minister for Creative Industries.
The PRESIDENT — Right; it was the minister I wanted to check. We do not have a minister for birthdays.
Ms PATTEN — Not yet. I have met with over 100 different groups and individuals from Northern Metropolitan Region, and it has been really interesting to hear the issues they face. I have been inspired by the creative organisations I have met, like La Mama Theatre, the Broadmeadows youth centre, Craft Victoria, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Circus Oz and the Abbotsford Convent. One of the tours I took was at the Coburg Junior High School, where I met with the principal and was introduced to a 3D sugar printer, an internal school wiki learning platform and a very strong focus on creative learning. In fact I really wanted to go back to school; I did not want to leave. What I was really enthused by was a meeting I had with some representatives of Craft Victoria. They proposed to me — —
Ms Shing — They proposed to you?
Ms PATTEN — They did. They proposed that there be an inclusion of commissioned, consigned and purchased work from Craft Victoria in the parliamentary gift shop to showcase the exceptional talents of Victorian makers in the craft and design sector. My adjournment matter is to ask the Minister for Creative Industries, Martin Foley, to raise with the Presiding Officers the issue of the inclusion of Craft Victoria consigned and purchased work in the Victorian parliamentary gift shop.
