Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I am acknowledging an extraordinary member of our community, Eddie Hebbard. Eddie is a volunteer at the Sycamore Tree Cafe in Heidelberg. He is a previous winner of a Jagajaga community volunteer award.

Eddie was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, and throughout his life Eddie has shown incredible determination, resilience and strength of character. His story is really one of perseverance and of community. Eddie is surrounded by a wonderful support network of family, advocates and medical professionals who really work with him to ensure he lives a life of dignity, of inclusion and of connection—in particular, his mother, Heather, who I know is so proud of Eddie, and who has just launched her book Educating Eddie.

In this book, Heather shares her experience of advocating for Eddie's education, for his inclusion and for his place in the wider community. The book was cowritten with Meryka Alexander, who has also been part of the Hebbard family for more than 25 years as Eddie's teacher, advocate, adviser and trusted supporter. Together they paint a moving and an honest picture of a family and a community who are absolutely committed to Eddie's wellbeing. The book explores the realities of navigating Eddie's safety needs, his routines, his obsessions and his phobias, all while really celebrating the love that Heather, his family and his community have brought to shape Eddie's life.

I was so proud, some years ago, to present Eddie with a Jagajaga volunteer award, and that's a moment that is also captured in this book as part of his story. I really want to congratulate Eddie. I want to especially congratulate Heather for the success of Educating Eddie and for the effort they have made to share his story. I wish them all the very best for the future.

Recently I had the pleasure of joining my state colleague Vicki Ward, the Nillumbik mayor Naomi Joiner and local residents to mark the opening of upgraded community facilities at Eltham Lower Park. This is a great area. It's used for recreation and used for sport. In particular, we were marking the upgrade of the pavilion there, which the cricket club and the lacrosse club both use. I was really pleased to see the $2 million that we, as a government, have contributed deliver some important upgrades, delivering more modern facilities that will better support these community clubs.

We have also provided for a new off-leash dog park in the area, meaning the sporting fields can be used for sport while there's a dedicated space for dog walkers. I am really excited also to have seen landscaping works protecting the natural environment in the area, and recognising the contributions from the Friends of Eltham Lower Park and the Friends of Diamond Creek in the area. It's wonderful to be able to support our local community sporting clubs and our local community more broadly with investments like this.

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