Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) according to Volunteering Australia's Key Volunteering Statistics, volunteers contributed almost 600 million hours of voluntary work to local communities in 2019;

(b) the Australian Bureau of Statistic's General Social Survey estimates that 30 per cent of Australians, aged 15 and over, participated in volunteer work in 2019 dropping to 25 per cent in 2020; and

(c) volunteering contributes billions of dollars in economic value to the economy as well as substantial social and community value;

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the recruitment efforts and operational ability of many local and national charity organisations;

(b) volunteering rates decreased substantially in 2020 and the 2021 Census showed a 19 per cent decrease in volunteering compared to the 2016 data;

(c) people in our community rely on the critical role of volunteers and any decrease in volunteering numbers impacts the most vulnerable in our community;

(d) the Government is continuing to provide support through grant programs for organisations;

(e) Australia needs a new approach to encourage people to participate with a greater focus on younger people; and

(f) the 'National Strategy for Volunteering' by Volunteering Australia is an important process in modernising Australia's volunteering systems;

(3) encourages all Australians to volunteer for the betterment of their local communities; and

(4) expresses support for the organisations and individuals who dedicate their time for the betterment of our communities.

Over the past few years, Australians have collectively experienced some of the most challenging times in decades, from a once-in-100-year pandemic to several once-in-100-year natural disasters. And, unfortunately, these challenges don't seem to be in the past. We've recently seen the devastating flood events that inundated large parts of the Kimberley and Western Australia, and the bushfires raging across Queensland. Recovery efforts for these will take months, if not years. Whilst local, state, and federal governments have a role to play in assisting those who experience difficult times, it really is the volunteers throughout our community who provide that immediate and ongoing support to those who are most vulnerable. And, whilst they don't volunteer for recognition, they absolutely deserve it.

From an economic perspective, volunteers provided almost 600 million hours of voluntary work in 2019. Whilst the exact estimates of how much this equates to for the economy are difficult to quantify, it's certainly worth billions of dollars. And that's purely economic. Socially, it's invaluable. Each hour that someone volunteers, by delivering food, cleaning our waterways or environment, fighting fires, assisting during national disasters or coaching our children, makes such a difference to our community.

Unfortunately, volunteer organisations have been severely impacted over the last few years. The casualisation of the workforce and other issues have put increased pressure on organisations at a time when volunteering rates have continued to decline. Since 2014 there has been a 20 per cent drop in volunteer hours. The Albanese government will provide an additional $4 million boost for the Volunteer Resource Centres across the country to bolster their efforts in recruiting, training and supporting volunteers. I would encourage anyone who can volunteer to do so.

As someone who has volunteered so much in the past, I know that you get much more out of the work than you put in. Helping people in the community is definitely a rewarding thing to do, and our communities, charities and NGOs depend on it. Volunteering builds social cohesion and increases wellbeing for both the volunteer and those they're helping. I commend Volunteering Australia for their new National Strategy for Volunteering. Further, the Albanese government is providing $367,000 to Volunteering Australia to assist in the strategy's implementation. Society has changed dramatically since the last strategy in 2011, so it's very important that they continue to modernise and update the approach to volunteering and recruitment.

We as members of parliament must do what we can to support and raise the volunteers in our community up. In the electorate of Werriwa, I formally recognise volunteers throughout my community. Last year was the seventh year I presented the Werriwa Volunteer Awards. The 2022 recipients were Kristy Parkes, Sharon Pietrantonio Tompsett, Cecilia Caburian, Pam Lawther, Ann Murphy, Michael Stokes, Maria Tonkin, Tisela Vaifale, Janette Wilson, Nabil Jamhour, Bruce Clark, Chris D'Arcy and Susan Reea. Thank you all for the incredible work you do in our community.

I'll be running the Werriwa Volunteers Awards again this year in May. Nominations will open in the coming weeks. In fact, a former Werriwa awardee was the Australian Volunteer of the Year, announced when the 2023 Australia Day Awards were announced. Amar Singh and Turbans 4 Australia provide meals and practical support for those experiencing difficulties caused by economic circumstances or national disasters. The 2022 Werriwa awardee, Chris D'Arcy, was Liverpool City Council's Citizen of the Year.

It's important to bring together various volunteers and organisations not only to recognise their contribution but to talk about the needs of our communities and their concerns about how we can help. For those in New South Wales, you can visit the New South Wales government website makeadifference.volunteering.nsw.gov.au, which allows you to find opportunities in organisations based on your interests, whether it's in animal welfare, the environment, the arts, communities or disaster relief. Thank you again to all the volunteers in Werriwa and all around Australia.

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