Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to bring to the attention of the House a wonderful visit by the Minister for Foreign Affairs recently to the wonderful electorate of Goldstein. We were very fortunate that the day started with a visit with Senator James Paterson and the state member for Caulfield, David Southwick, to Leibler Yavneh College in Elsternwick. I would particularly like to extend my thanks for the facilitation of Cherylyn Skewes, the principal, and Rabbi Chaim Cowen, who provided a fantastic tour of the school as well as organised a special assembly that the foreign minister addressed. It was a real treat for the students to hear directly what it is like to be a foreign minister for the Commonwealth and what happens on a day-to-day basis.

We were very fortunate that, after we visited Leibler Yavneh College, we went to Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre in Caulfield. It is located just outside the electorate of Goldstein, in the electorate of Melbourne Ports, but it is really the hub and the heartland of the Jewish community in Melbourne. It is a particularly important facility. I just make it clear that the message that was given around security was very well received. There were lots of community leaders there on the day talking directly to the foreign minister, me, David Southwick and James Paterson, amongst others, like Danny Lamm, about the challenges facing the Jewish community and the importance of supporting them—and that is resolute. The Zionism Victoria vice-president, Jeff Morrison, and executive director, Jane Rapke; the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre chairman, Sam Tatarka; and the Jewish Community Council of Victoria president, Jennifer Huppert, and executive director, David Marlow, met with the minister directly and had these important conversations.

Even after that, the foreign minister was generous with her time, coming to the Goldstein electorate office to talk to many of the young women principals of schools, board members of local sporting clubs, school captains, school leaders and teachers from across the Goldstein community about the importance of the role of women in leadership positions. It was a privilege to invite so many young successful women in their fields, particularly from sporting clubs and from local schools, who are making a wonderful contribution as trailblazers and leaders in their community. A large cohort was from women's AFL teams, the Goldstein community very fortunately being the hub and focus of women's AFL. I would like to thank all those who turned up: from Brighton Secondary College, the assistant principal, Lee Angelidis; from Furbank Grammar, the deputy principal, Jo Field; from Haileybury Brighton campus, the deputy head of the senior school, Gavin Watson; from Kilvington Grammar School, teacher Lauren Wade, who attended McKinnon Secondary School; and from McKinnon Secondary School, the principal, Pitsa Binnion, who does a wonderful job, and we are very happy to have her continuing to show leadership at such an important school in the electorate.

I thank our good friends who are co-No. 1 ticketholders of the Old Brighton Grammarians footy club—the players that came from there and also the club president, Peter Grant, and particularly Louise Graham, who does a wonderful job, always supporting the footy club in volunteer roles. Only the other night when I was down at the 60th anniversary of the club, Louise was there dutifully working away while everybody else was enjoying the night, so thank you, Louise, for all the work that you do. I thank Sandringham College and Jennifer Howard, the head of student leadership, and Star of the Sea School's Peter Farrer and Bernadette Turner, who have always been very supportive and who work very successfully with me. Thank you for your work. I also thank the other co-No. 1 ticketholder for Old Brighton Grammarians, and VAFA board member, Felicity Frederico, who also came along on the day. And, of course, thanks also to the many young women who participated.

Minister Bishop spoke about women in leadership. Peter Grant also presented the minister with an Old Brighton Grammarians footy club jersey. I haven't seen whether she is wearing it in her runs around Canberra every morning, but my hope is that she is and that she wears it with pride. Minister, you need to understand that an invitation is coming from the Old Brighton Grammarians, in the hope that you will come and speak at one of their footy matches next year, and you are always welcome in the Goldstein community.

Also attending was Jennifer Herbert, a Beaumaris resident who has stage IV breast cancer and has raised $67,000 to buy two scalp-cooling machines for Monash Health so that women undergoing chemotherapy will not lose their hair. Libby Vance, a local businesswoman, was also particularly happy to come along. So to everybody who participated on the day, thank you for your participation. We are so proud of our Goldstein community, and I am so proud to represent you. (Time expired)