Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Thursday, 7 October I had the pleasure of attending the presentation of the Australian Sports Commission’s Victorian Super Site Award to the Patch Primary School’s out-of-school-hours care service. The Patch Primary School in the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley region within the electorate of Casey won this award. It recognises the outstanding contribution made by primary schools and out-of-school-hours care services in the coordination and delivery of the Australian government’s Active After-school Communities Program. Of course—as you will recall, Mr Deputy Speaker Slipper—this program was launched in 2005 by the previous government and aims to improve the physical activity of primary schoolchildren, provide greater opportunities for children to participate in sporting activities that are both safe and fun, and promote local community involvement. The program is an inclusive program where children can participate in many activities that get them active and promote a development and a love for sport.

The Patch Primary School has excelled at helping children and their families to be more active. They have done a fantastic job. They participated in a whole range of sports including fencing, skateboarding, lawn bowls and tennis. It was terrific that the school had developed relationships with local sporting groups in the community, such as the Monbulk netball club and the Monbulk Bowling Club. Their efforts have seen the Patch Primary School receive a Super Site Award trophy and a $500 voucher for sporting equipment. Congratulations must go to the coordinator of the program, Sheila, for her hard work and dedication. Sheila is supported by a hardworking team of staff and parents who also deserve congratulations and recognition here in this House.

I look forward to the continuation of this wonderful program that was initiated five years ago by the previous government. Can I commend here in the House the work of the staff of the Australian Sports Commission. I met two of the staff there on the day the award was presented, and their enthusiasm, their professionalism and their dedication to seeing this program succeed was obvious for all to see. Without their dedicated work across Australia, but in this case in particular in the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, we would not be seeing the successes that we are seeing with this program.