Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about a very valuable project that I am working on in my electorate. It is in a suburb called Riverstone. There is a Girl Guide hall that has not been used in recent years and needs serious work. So I have pulled together Work for the Dole, the local Guides, Wesley Mission and a number of different local businesses, and we are working on the project. We have been meeting for several months now. The scope of works has been completed by a local builder, and I want to thank him for all his free contributions and donations to this project.

This is a result of Families Connect, which are a part of Wesley Mission, coming to me. They do a lot of great work with some of the new families in the area, working to ensure that young mums are connected with each other and that they get together. Riverstone is still developing—it is an area that has been called by the locals ‘the first country town outside of Sydney’. While there are many residents who have lived there for decades, there are also young families moving in. Because of that, there is some pressure on the local community halls, which are already used to capacity.

This hall was not being used and was vacant, and there was a growing need for places where organisations like Wesley Mission and Families Connect could meet. This was an opportunity for businesses, volunteer organisations such as Lions, me and a federal government initiative like Work for the Dole to come together and achieve some great outcomes.

The local Girl Guides are very excited about this. This is an opportunity for them to connect with some new families. The project is expected to take approximately six months. The works will be completed also by many local families. A number of people who have trades have put up their hands to help. Other project partners will supply volunteer labour as well. Once completed, the building will be suitable not just for Families Connect but also for many other community organisations and local groups. The coordinators of the project Families Connect also help many young mothers to connect into the workforce. They are bringing in training, connecting them with TAFE and so on. This is also going to be an opportunity to provide more work and connection and pathways for young mums who have had some challenges achieving that.

I am very excited about this project. I would like to congratulate and thank everybody who has come together and worked so cooperatively. I look forward to being able to launch and open it. (Time expired)