Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was my pleasure yesterday to participate in the Lifeline Canberra half-marathon on the about-to-be-opened Majura Parkway. It was a great sporting event, and I pay tribute to the Lifeline team, including Carrie-Ann Leeson, Matt Heffernan and the volunteers who were there. Many of the Lifeline staff took part in the event itself, including phone counsellor Susana Silva and her dog, Obama.

Lifeline Canberra is a great charity which is committed to helping Canberrans and which has been arguing forcefully against the Abbott government's attempts to get rid of the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission. The ACNC has served Australian charities well, and four out of five Australian charities support its retention. So it continues to bewilder me that Minister Andrews wants to scrap the charities commission, in the face of the overwhelming view of the sector. The charities commission helps donors and charities, and helps protect Australians against scams.

Yesterday's fun run was also significant because it took place on the Majura Parkway. The Majura Parkway is a piece of public infrastructure that I fought for and was delighted to see the former Labor government fund. It never would have been funded by a coalition government; but a Labor government gave it $150 million. It will serve to take the traffic pressure off the streets of the north side and allow more trucks to avoid the Canberra CBD as they service the airport.