Elder Electorate Cafes

Mrs POWER (Elder) (16:50): I rise to recognise the outstanding efforts and hard work of those in our local cafes in my local community. This year has been a challenging year for businesses, with restrictions impacting when and how they can operate, so it is as important as ever to support our local cafes and in fact all our local businesses.

Within my electorate of Elder, there are countless examples of local businesses that bring people together and are building a legacy for their families and our community. Given the time constraints, I would like to recognise a few of them today that help make up the rich fabric of our local area.

One such family business is The Middle Store on Winston Avenue in Melrose Park, a warm welcoming cafe run by a team of three siblings. Former MasterChef contestant Rose Adam, her sister Haefer and their brother George opened The Middle Store in May 2015. Together, they serve delicious Middle Eastern-style food, providing a unique twist on many of our favourite breakfast dishes. As someone who has a Lebanese dad, I think I am in a good position to speak about whether or not it is amazing Middle Eastern-style food—and it certainly is.

Just down the road is The Little Fig run by Hayley Ryan. This year, The Little Fig celebrated its fifth birthday. They serve one of the best egg and bacon rolls and the most incredible fruit toast you will find, and very soon Hayley and her partner will welcome the arrival of their baby. Hayley is a little pocket rocket in our community and it is always a delight to visit her. I wish her and her partner well as they grow their family.

Heading into Colonel Light Gardens, you can find Bond and Lane Canteen, which is an inviting, relaxed cafe with a menu showcasing creative twists on brunchtime classics. Cafe owner Lou Rodwell went into the cafe business to do what she loves, and it shows. Welcoming of anyone who pops in for a coffee or a bite to eat or a furry friend wandering past on a walk, the cafe also builds a strong sense of community by hosting art workshops, such as painting with watercolours, which you can enjoy on a Friday night—I think the workshop is called Watercolour and Wine—and clay sculpting, an incredible experience. It is such an innovative way for a cafe to bring people together and support some wonderful local artists. A big congratulations to Lou, Molly and the whole team at Bond and Lane.

Local Crowd is another Colonel Light Gardens gem bringing to life good food, delicious coffee and a strong community vibe. This family-friendly cafe is run by Abdulla, who serves some of the most impressive dishes and seems to know everyone and greets them like an old friend, making you feel instantly at home. Nine 8 on Bank at Clapham Junction, run by Ben and Corrie, is also serving up delicious food. I think their steak pies are some of the best going around and they provide a strong hub for our community by thinking outside the box, having hosted lots of local events in their car park.

Finally, you cannot go past The Pantry on Egmont, Egmont Terrace, in Hawthorn. Silas is a master chef by nature, having worked in kitchens across the world since he was 15. From the doughnuts made in-house to Muffin Mondays and Cindy their little doll that is in there, they use quality ingredients sourced from their own kitchen gardens and from locals who can receive coffee for produce.

All these businesses enrich our local area and contribute to strengthening and growing our economy. As the changes to the boundaries of Elder have just recently been announced, I look forward to getting to know and supporting the hardworking teams at cafes such as Rise and Grind Cafe, Sublime Cafe, Bracegirdle's Cross Road and plenty more. To all the people in our local cafes and to all our local businesses, I sincerely thank each and every one of you for your passion, your commitment and your dedication to your customers, your employees and our local community.

This festive season, let's show them our support. I encourage everyone to think about catching up with friends or family at one of our great local cafes and nominate your favourite cafe for my Love Your Local Cafe Award.