Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The generosity of volunteers has, in recent times, been at the forefront of our minds. The vital work of so many volunteers in our community from the most noble and courageous effort to the most modest, the most private, is something of which we must always remain mindful. There are people and organisations in our community who help others. Just as we should not forget the contributions, the selflessness and the generosity of these organisations in these times when they are no longer in the spotlight we should also recognise that those contributing to our communities often need a helping hand themselves.

Last month the Minister for Community Services announced over $6.3 million worth of funding for volunteer grants by the Australian government. I am proud to say that 25 community groups in my electorate of Holt were recipients of those grants. These included the Berwick Stamp Club, the Bunyip Black Sox Softball Club, Christians Helping in Primary Schools, the Cultural and Historical Association of Rodriguans and Mauritians, Endeavour Ministries, Eumemmerring Federation Food Garden, Friends of Frog Hollow, Gumnuts Parents Association, River Gum Primary School, Hampton Park Secondary College Parent Network, Indian Subcontinent Cultural and Community Welfare Association, the Lions Club of Endeavour Hills, the Narre Warren Chamber of Commerce, the Casey District Scouts and First Hampton Scouts, the Ventana Hispana and Hampton Park Community House.

In particular, I would like to talk about the contributions of several groups who do so much for our community, and seek only the assurance that they can survive to keep on giving. One particular group, the After Breast Cancer Exercise Group, received assistance through the grant program. The group offers support services to women who have experienced breast cancer and have survived it. The group seeks to help these women with vital assistance such as helping them return to work and to maintain an active involvement in community life.

The Casey and District Multiple Birth Association, which recently had its 21st anniversary, is another organisation that has received funding through this initiative. This association, particularly in an area that has a lot of kids, provides much needed support and information services to families with or expecting twins, triplets or quads. The Cranbourne and District Toy Library is also in receipt of a grant. This organisation promotes early childhood development in the Cranbourne area. The Fountain Gate Tennis Club is another fantastic community based facility. Another one is the Hampton Park Junior Football Club and that certainly speaks for itself. It provides an absolutely fantastic opportunity for kids and their families and the wider community to participate in sport and in social activities—and a lot of people who have spent time in the football club would understand that. The Hampton Park Primary School through its public relations subcommittee seeks to promote greater awareness of the school’s activities as well as promoting greater community involvement in these activities through the use of its grant. My time is running short but these organisations are fantastic organisations that are the glue with which our community is bound.