John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to pay tribute to the work of volunteers, in particular those who work for Meals on Wheels. Last Wednesday was National Meals on Wheels Day. Meals on Wheels was established 55 years ago, offering meals to about eight people. Today that service has grown to provide meals to roughly 50,000 people a day. To provide so many meals to the elderly, frail and disabled, Meals on Wheels carries out this important service with the help of 80,000 volunteers and workers.

It is important to acknowledge and pay tribute to the volunteers, who offer not only their time but their care and friendship. I am proud to acknowledge one particular couple in my electorate of Lowe who were each awarded a Commonwealth Community Service Award in April this year. Mr Noel and Mrs Catherine Richardson, from Croydon Park, have given more than 50 years combined voluntary service to the local community. The Minister for Ageing, the Hon. Justine Elliot, presented them with the national award for their tremendous community service particularly to the aged. To date, Catherine Richardson has been involved in Meals on Wheels for over 25 years. Her husband, Noel, has been her driver for the last six years, while continuing his charity work with St Vincent de Paul, of which he has been a member for some 40 years. All the while, Mr and Mrs Richardson raised five children.

It is wonderful to see commendable citizens such as Mr and Mrs Richardson receiving recognition for the unpaid work they carry out in my electorate of Lowe. Their selfless hard work, like that of thousands of volunteers around Australia, has immeasurable benefits for our community and society at large. The Rudd government also recognises the vital role and the positive contribution that volunteers make to our society and the difficulties recently experienced by voluntary based groups with rising fuel costs. That is why the government has committed funding of an additional $15 million over the next three years to the Volunteers Grants Program to assist community organisations such as Meals on Wheels and their volunteers to pay their fuel bills.

Many people go without recognition for their hard work and most do not expect any. However, on this occasion the quiet, unpaid work of those around us is much appreciated and should be acknowledged by those receiving the assistance, and I would like to show that appreciation here today. I call on those living in my electorate to nominate someone they know and who they feel deserves public recognition. I look forward to meeting and awarding more citizens for their fantastic efforts. I again commend the work of my constituents Mr and Mrs Richardson for a job well done. I thank them for their efforts and ask that each and every one of us consider what we might give back to our community.