THE spirit of #MalleeTough was invoked in Victoria Parliament on Thursday.

Member for Mildura Ali Cupper used her Member’s Statement to highlight how constituents in the Mildura electorate had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the first restrictions were announced, local social worker Claire Rorke created the Facebook group, “We’re going on a bear hunt”, which encouraged people to put teddy bears in their front windows and yards to help keep spirits up among our littlest citizens,” Ms Cupper said.

“An enigmatic newcomer, known simply as Michael, has been brightening everyone’s daily walk at the riverfront with a smile and a wave while he attends to the hundreds of flowers he has planted on his own initiative.

“The team at MASP, led by Carole Smith and Gary Simpson, have been providing expert care and support to our most vulnerable citizens as they grappled with the uncertainty of the staged lockdown.

“The Northern Mallee Leadership alumni, led by Nardia Sherriff, harnessed its eclectic pool of skills in multiple ways, for example by arranging iPads for residents at aged care centres to help them stay connected to loved ones.”

Ms Cupper said she intended to “co-write” her Member’s Statements with constituents in the future focusing on the #MalleeTough theme.