Roger Price (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to mention two clubs in my electorate that I recently visited. They are both funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The Governor King Day Club is a new addition to the family. It meets at the St Marys RSL and I place on record my appreciation of the St Marys RSL, and particularly the sub-branch, for the way they support the Governor King Day Club. They provide facilities through which veterans and the families of veterans, particularly their spouses and/or widows, are able to meet once a week and go on outings. It is really important that, given the service these good people have given to our country, they should be able to avail themselves of membership of such clubs. So congratulations to Governor King Day Club—two years old and going strong.

Secondly, I refer to the Blacktown Bungarribee Day Club, whose coordinator, Beverly Fayle, I think has been the coordinator since its inception. What an outstanding lady she is. This club meets at the Blacktown RSL and has been serving the community for 22 years. It was opened on 15 July 1985 by the then state president of the RSL, Sir Colin Hines. The club is perhaps not as strong as it once was but, again, it provides an important opportunity for veterans, their spouses and widows to meet once a week. When I was talking to members of the club they told me how important it is for them, and that it is the one outing they particularly look forward to each week.

Lastly, we celebrated a St Patrick’s Day mass and blessing at the Jubilee Hall, Patrician Brothers College. I did not ever own St Pat’s College, but under the new boundaries I do and I am very excited about that. I was particularly pleased to see Brother Pat Lovegrove and Brother Bernard, two former distinguished principals of the school, and also the current principal, Santo Passarello. The Patrician Brothers have served Blacktown and its surrounding areas very well. In fact a Liberal Party member of parliament, Alex Somlyay, the member for Fairfax, is a former student. Congratulations to the Patrician Brothers. Next year the Patrician Brothers will celebrate their centenary. (Time expired)