Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bonner for moving this most important motion on volunteering, and I join him in recognising the fantastic contributions that volunteers have made in Chisholm and across communities in Australia. Indeed, the volunteering spirit in our local community in Chisholm is outstanding, and it has been my great honour since becoming the federal member for Chisholm to meet all the amazing volunteers locally who give of their time to support our community. The energy, expertise and time our volunteers give in Chisholm support those who are most in need and represent what Australian communities are all about: giving a helping hand. From the mums and dads coaching and supporting sports teams to dedicated tutors welcoming migrants and refugees, from environmental conservationists to amateur historians, the thousands of volunteers across Chisholm embody the best of Aussie mateship by reducing social marginalisation and increasing community participation.

I'm delighted to be hosting the annual Chisholm Volunteer Awards again this Friday, where over 70 local volunteers will be celebrated for their hard work and volunteerism. I'll be presenting the awards again with the foreign minister, the Hon. Julie Bishop. The awards give us the opportunity to recognise, pay tribute to and warm-heartedly thank so many of the volunteers who dedicate their own time and commitment, sometimes on an individual basis and sometimes as part of a wider community group. The Chisholm Volunteer Awards recognise outstanding individuals who tirelessly give of their own time for the benefit of others. Indeed, all the awardees are so incredibly deserving of these awards, as they have been nominated by other members in the Chisholm community.

While volunteers give so much to our community, the awards give us the chance to give back to them and to recognise them. As was last year's ceremony, which the foreign minister also attended, this year's ceremony will be a testament to the contribution of all our Chisholm volunteers and the way the Turnbull government wishes to publicly recognise and reward the large contribution made by these volunteers. I'm immensely proud that in addition to the local initiatives recognising the wonderful spirit of volunteers across our communities the Turnbull government is ensuring that our local volunteer organisations in Chisholm will have support to continue their valuable work.

Volunteering is in the DNA of Australians, and I am proud to say that the Turnbull government's Volunteer Grants round of approximately $20 million has officially opened. I strongly encourage and will be working with all Chisholm volunteer organisations to apply for this wonderful funding support opportunity which works to build stronger and safer communities.

It is my greatest honour and privilege to meet with the numerous wonderful people in many volunteer groups across Chisholm, and to have witnessed firsthand the incredible gift of compassion and civic responsibility that Chisholm locals embody. There are hundreds of people across Chisholm who demonstrate the wonderful Aussie spirit of volunteerism, who show kindness and caring every day, and who work way above and beyond the call of duty and give of their own time selflessly. There are over 200 volunteers at Box Hill Hospital, and a similar number in the Uniting Church group, as well as the wonderful people at Crossway LifeCare, the folks at Ashwood College Permaculture Food Garden, the various Rotary and RSL groups in Chisholm, Sally and Tony Walker, the dynamic duo leading the Scotchman's Creek and Valley Reserve, Judith Clancy and the team from Neighbourhood Watch, and people such as Tom Thorpe and Ed Bright from the Wattle Park Heritage Group, who are maintaining a wonderful piece of local heritage in Australia's first Lone Pine, planted and grown and passionately maintained in Chisholm.

Communities like Chisholm are strengthened and enriched by the many passionate threads maintained and supported by volunteers. People who sacrifice their time for the betterment of our local community and people who, through the goodness of their character, give of their own time. I'm extremely proud to be their voice here in Chisholm. I've spent much of my time working with volunteers and supporting them in their wonderful work for the Australian community. I very much look forward to formally acknowledging a cross-section of individuals at this Friday's awards, the second annual Chisholm awards event, at which a congregation of all these amazing people will celebrate volunteerism in Chisholm.

Volunteerism is in the DNA of all Australians and is well represented in the people of Chisholm, and I'm very proud to be their voice here in Canberra. I very much look forward to acknowledging a cross-section of individuals this Friday. I commend this motion to the House.

See this speech in context