Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 17 April I had the great pleasure of visiting a large employer in my electorate—in fact, the largest private employer—the Cadbury factory. These days it is owned by Kraft but it is still a local institution. This factory has been in various names since 1966. A chocolate factory is a favourite for many people, especially when it is in one's own electorate, but it is such an important part of the electorate because so many people who live locally work there. I was delighted to be there with our Minister for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation, the Hon. Greg Combet. We were hosted by Simon Talbot, Kraft Foods Director, Corporate Affairs, Australia and New Zealand.

Being such a large facility, the good thing about Cadbury in Ringwood is that it is continuing to grow. It now has a research and development team of over 100 staff. They have what sounds to many people to be one of the best jobs in the world, and that is tasting chocolate. I must say that when I was there I got the opportunity to make my own marvellous creation—which is a brand of Cadbury. I have to say very quickly that it has not gone on sale, but I did make up my own version. To see what is done in the R&D facility there is quite special. It is very high-tech. It has only just recently opened and it is also, as I understand, going to be used for other food manufacturers outside of Cadbury itself. That is also a great thing.

As I said, the factory has been there since 1966. It employs between 800 and 900 people. To give you a couple of statistics: it makes over 300 different types of product and 200 million Easter eggs a year. It is a really good example of what investment in our local area has done over a long period and continues to do to make a high-quality product which I think most people would say they want more of.

On the same day I also had the great pleasure of attending the Maroondah schools Anzac Day service with the Prime Minister and Minister Garrett, our school education minister. That was held at the sound shell in Ringwood. That was also a wonderful event. It was hosted by the Rotary Club of Ringwood, with the great work of Fran McLean from Ringwood Rotary and Joan Young, the president of Ringwood Rotary. It was a particularly special service. We had 20 different local schools attend all at the one time and it was all fantastically organised. We had music by Tintern Senior School. We had an Anzac Day address by Lieutenant Commander Damon Craig from HMAS Cerberus. We had an address from the mayor, Councillor Nora Lamont. We also met up with Peter Milford, representing Legacy and the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce, and Joan Young, the president of the Rotary Club of Ringwood.

The children of the schools that attended were particularly well behaved. Sometimes students when they are out in large groups tend to do a lot of mucking around, but these kids were really well behaved. They were in the lower years of secondary school. We had students from Aquinas College, Dorset Primary School, Eastwood Primary School, Heathmont College, Heathmont East Primary School, Holy Spirit School, Marlborough Primary School, Norwood Secondary College, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Primary School, Ringwood North Primary School, Ringwood Secondary College, Ruskin Park Primary School, Sacred Heart School in Croydon, the Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School, Tintern School, Tinternvale Primary School, Warranwood Primary School, Yarra Road Primary School and Yarra Valley Grammar.

I usually get to this service each year and, fortunately, I can say that this year the weather was very good. It is not always so in April. It was a great event not only for the school students who were there but also for members of the community who attended. It is a special thing to get that many people in one place at one time. Without the organisation of the Rotary Club of Ringwood it would not have happened. It is a big ask to get 20 schools to get their students to be in one place at one time, to be organised and then to have the level of respect that a service like an Anzac Day service should have.

My congratulations to everyone involved in organising it. I certainly congratulate the schools and their students, particularly on their demeanour and behaviour on the day. I wish everyone involved the very best and hope that they continue to do that for many years to come.

House adjourned at 16:59