Mary Doyle (Aston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Congratulations on your appointment, Deputy Speaker Mascarenhas. I rise today to speak about our annual Tilly Aston Community Awards, which seek to recognise and honour the contributions and achievements of the wonderful Aston community. These awards, like my electorate, are named after Tilly Aston, a trailblazing woman—arguably one of Australia's first disability activists—and a true inspiration. Tilly lost her sight at a young age, but she never let that define or limit her. Instead, she became a poet, a teacher and a fierce advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, founding the Victorian Association of Braille Writers and the Association for the Advancement for the Blind. She was a pioneer in inclusive education and the first blind woman in Australia to attend university.

The Tilly Aston Community Awards honour her legacy by celebrating individuals and groups that have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership and a positive impact in various aspects of community life. These are the quiet achievers, selfless volunteers and local heroes who go above and beyond to make our community in Aston a better place to live, work and thrive. To often, the people who hold our communities together do so without fanfare or accolades. They don't ask for recognition, but they absolutely deserve it. That's why initiatives like these awards are so important. They shine a light on the good happening around us and celebrate the everyday leadership, kindness and compassion that keeps our suburbs strong.

From volunteers in multicultural associations and sporting clubs to those helping our environment, supporting the elderly or mentoring young people, this award is for them. It's about saying thank you and building a culture that values service and community connection. There are four group categories and 10 individual categories from which to choose. These include the Leadership Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award, the Teacher of the Year Award and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

As the federal member for Aston it is my great honour to champion these awards, which are held annually to ensure the spirit of Tilly Aston lives on in not just memory but action. I encourage every constituent to nominate someone they admire or someone who quietly makes a difference. Let's tell their stories and let's lift each other up. As Tilly herself once said, nothing worthy is ever achieved without perseverance. However, you do not have to wait for someone else to nominate you; self-nominations are most welcome. But you need to hurry; nominations are closing on Sunday 10 August, and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday 30 August.

To everyone out there rolling up their sleeves, helping their local community and raising voices for the vulnerable: these awards are for you. I look forward to reading all the wonderful nominations.

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