Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity to remind Novocastrians that the Newcastle Show is on this weekend and to encourage everyone to get along. The show has been a much-loved Newcastle institution for more than a century now, and this year's promising to be better than ever. Perhaps you're a fan of the monster trucks, or maybe cake decorating is more your thing. You might thrive on the adrenalin rush of rides or possibly prefer the fuzzy feels of the animal nursery. Or maybe you'd rather watch the rodeo and check out the woodchopping competition. But I think we can all agree that settling down to watch a spectacular fireworks show is a great way to end the day. So whatever your fancy is, there is something for everyone at this year's show. I'll be heading along with my dad, just as I always have since I was a child, and I hope to see you there.

I'd also like to take this time to highlight the terrible backward slide in the number of apprentices and trainees under the Liberals. This week brand new local data revealed that apprentice numbers in Newcastle are appallingly low. We now have 1,165 fewer apprentices and trainees in Newcastle than we did when the Liberals came to power. That's almost a third of the 3½ thousand apprentices and trainees we had in 2013. This leaves my city, like the rest of Australia, desperately short of critical trades that are vital to the healthy functioning of our regional economy. The Morrison government has robbed Australians of employment opportunities and forced the country into a tradie crisis by ripping $3 billion out of vocational training and education. Nearly two million Australians are out of work and employers are crying out for skilled staff. The Liberals like to brag about their economic credentials, yet they starve the very sector that delivers the skilled staff that we need to grow the economy and stem unemployment. Investment in skills, education, training is economics 1.01, if you want to drive economic growth and maintain a high standard of living. But all the Liberals know to do is cut, cut, cut. By locking Australians out of education and training the Liberals are locking Australians out of jobs. The Morrison Liberal government is a do-nothing government with no agenda for jobs, training or a better Australia.

I'd like to congratulate Anne Kempton, Wilma Simmons and their remarkable Wednesday group from the Timeless Textiles Gallery for bringing the Fearless Flowers project to life. This has involved the creation of hundreds of beautiful flower based artworks, which are currently brightening up some 29 shopfronts in my home city of Newcastle. This includes Abacus, Estabar, Monsoon Living, Porky's Nest, Studio Melt, Pappa Sven, High Tea with Mrs Woo, Curve Gallery, Ramjet, Make Space, Jean Bas, Blackbird Corner and so many other fantastic local businesses. I'd like a give a special shout out to those businesses and all the Makers and Traders Newcastle members who contributed to this great project. For a short time only Novocastrians can walk the flower art trail and vote in the people's choice competition for the best display.

Not only is this a fantastic community arts initiative; it is also an important fundraiser. The highlight will be on International Women's Day, when the flower displays will be sold off to support ovarian cancer research at the Hunter Medical Research Institute via Pink Meets Teal. Pink Meets Teal is one of the many legacies left to us by the incredible special Novocastrian Jill Emberson. Jill tragically lost her life to ovarian cancer in December, but no matter how ill she was herself, she never wavered in her fight for fairer funding to fight this diabolical disease. As we can see, Jill's mission is being continued by the many passionate people in our community. I encourage all Novocastrians to get out and enjoy the Fearless Flowers displays, to vote in the auction and to dig deep for ovarian cancer this Sunday. I look forward to opening this project at the celebration of International Women's Day and I would encourage all Novocastrians to go out and support those 29 businesses. Give them your support at this time so that they in turn can support ovarian cancer research in our community.