Before entering parliament, I worked in community development. That experience shaped my understanding of what it takes to create lasting change. It taught me the strongest solutions are built with and by communities, not delivered to them. Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending the 30-year celebration of SWAN—the Southern Women's Action Network—and its contribution to our community. SWAN is a wonderful example of what happens when women come together with a shared purpose, a strong sense of justice, and a belief that our community can be better. What makes this milestone even more remarkable is that after 30 years SWAN is not simply looking back at what it has achieved; it's more active than ever. Its new book, Where SwansSoar, captures this story beautifully. It recognises the achievements of SWAN, the women behind its work and the importance of community activism. It also reflects the renaissance of SWAN, an organisation that has maintained its original purpose while responding to the changing needs and challenges of our community.

Community activism is never finished. The challenges change, the conversations evolve, and new generations bring new perspectives and energy, but the need for people who are prepared to speak up, challenge injustice and work towards meaningful change remains as important as ever. SWAN has continued to meet these challenges head on. From supporting the rights of First Nations people to raising community awareness about a broad range of justice issues, and taking action to address climate change, homelessness, and gender based violence, SWAN demonstrates what it means to turn a commitment to fairness into practical action. These are not always easy issues to tackle. They require courage, persistence and a willingness to listen to people whose experiences and voices have too often been overlooked. SWAN and its members amplify women's voices and the voices of those not so loud. SWAN ensures women have a seat at the table and have a genuine say in shaping our future. May SWAN and all the members from this amazing community organisation continue to soar for many years to come.