Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently took part in the annual Rickshaw Run, which escorts epicureans through the streets, markets and restaurants of fantastic Footscray in my electorate. The Rickshaw Run is part of the Eat.Drink.Westside program in the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and gives participants a taste of the flavours of Vietnam in Melbourne's west. The event showcases Footscray as the diverse cultural and culinary mecca which it is today thanks in large part to the many migrants who have made it their home.

The word 'rickshaw' is a transliteration of a Japanese word meaning human powered vehicle. In this way, there was symbolic value to an event where volunteers literally pulled their weight in support of a local community. Special thanks go to those rickshaw pullers from the Footscray Rugby Union Club who pulled even more than their already substantial weight and showed their community spirit by staffing a whole session of the rickshaw pulling. They certainly made pulling a rickshaw look easier than I made it seem to observers!

With the event selling out yet again, the Rickshaw Run showcased fantastic Footscray to hundreds of eager diners from across Melbourne. Thanks must go to the dozens of rickshaw managers, team leaders, marshals, pullers, meeters and greeters—including the effusive Kenny Weir of the Consider The Sauce food blog—musicians, traffic managers and photographers who participated on the day. Thanks also to the Footscray Traders Association and the local traders who plated up a selection of Footscray's finest flavours.

Finally, I extend my deepest appreciation to the event coordinator, Lauren Wambach, the proprietor of the excellent Footscray Food Blog. Lauren is committed to Melbourne's western suburbs and has for some years now run a food blog celebrating the food culture of Footscray. I commend everyone involved in this event.