Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Pole Depot Community Centre at Penshurst in my electorate of Banks has operated for 30 years, contributing to the local community in the St George and surrounding regions. It aims to create a healthy and resilient local community by providing help in people’s life journey and vital support in times of need. Some of the services include before- and after-school care for children aged five to 12 years; vacation care; support groups and activities for carers; activities for seniors; services and support for people with disabilities; Youth Zone, providing support and services for young people aged 11 to 24 years; and Chinese community support services.

The name ‘Pole Depot’ comes from the nature of the building’s original use, as a storage warehouse for electricity poles. The Pole Depot Community Centre has been in operation since 1975, when a grant from the federal government made it possible for Hurstville council to purchase the building and reserve it for use as a community project. In May 1978 the first neighbourhood community worker was appointed. Since then, the centre’s services have been expanded to meet the needs of the community. There are currently 34 staff.

As a community centre, Pole Depot received funding from a number of government departments and other organisations in 2009-10, including the Community Services agency and Disability and Home Care agency of the New South Wales Department of Human Services, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian Sports Commission, the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, which provided funding through the Jobs Fund for the Bilingual Respite Care Project, the Community Cafe and Handyman Project. The local councils—Hurstville, Kogarah and Rockdale—provide further funding through their community services grants program, together with organisations such as Carers NSW, Alzheimers Australia, St George Masonic Club, Bexley RSL, Earlwood Bardwell Park RSL, Music Australia, Penshurst RSL and the Lugarno Lions Club.

In the St George area there are many people from a Chinese background. Pole Depot targets the community, providing services and support across a range of areas, including English classes, Chinese Frail Elderly Day Care and parenting courses to its members. It also assists with their orientation to all aspects of their life in Australia, including social, cultural, economic and public aspects.

In its 2009-10 annual report, Pole Depot reported that it had provided the following day care and transport services to those of Chinese background. Centre based day care activities totalled 10,195 hours, including 2,863 hours on Saturdays and 7,332 hours on Sundays. On Saturdays, an average of 16 elderly people attended weekly, while on Sundays the average attendance is 35. Transport trips totalled 3,631, with 2,204 trips on Saturdays and 1,427 trips on Sundays.

I particularly want to mention the centre director, Kim Buhagiar, who brings a high level of professionalism, compassion and expertise to her role. The management team provide her with excellent support.

Pole Depot has become an integral part of our community and has developed a strong reputation in its ability to identify local needs and create appropriate responses to those needs. I am fortunate to have the Pole Depot in the electorate of Banks offering caring and experience to the community. We should not underestimate that. Pole Depot’s mission is to identify the needs of the local community, and meet these needs by providing services, and to encourage the development of neighbourhood networks. The Pole Depot Community Centre board of 2009-10 included Lesley Pullen, who became a committee member in 2001; Catherine Swankie, who became a committee member in 2004; Robin Bevan; William Osmo, who became a committee member in 2006; Norm Sandstrom, who became a committee member in 2003; Greg Kent; and Bruce Terlecki, who had 35 years experience working for the Commonwealth government and brings to the board managerial and project management skills as well as experience on school councils. I know Bruce personally because he looked after all of us from 1990, when I first came into the federal parliament. He was at the time the New South Wales director within DOFA. Lastly, there is James Kelly, who grew up in Bexley. He is the latest addition to the board. I commend the Pole Depot on the work they do for the community.