Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to talk about the people who come from my electorate. This week across the parliament we have been blessed to be visited by the Northern Mallee Leaders—and some of them are in the foyer at the moment—and the Loddon Murray leadership group. One of the things that is important about building rural communities is building capacity. We actually build wealth when we build capacity in our people. When we invest in people we lift their eyes to the opportunities that are around them. I have a strong belief that many electorates do not have strategic plans—and strategic plans are good things to have. In my electorate, our strategic plan is this: we are going to build wealth by building capacity and we are going to build community by building interaction. When you get people together you build a sense of self-worth, you build a sense of community. Sport plays a role in that. Community groups play a role in that. And in doing these things we really do drive a great society. The people who are doing the Northern Mallee Leaders program and the Loddon Murray leadership program are people who are contributors, people who really have a passion for their community. As part of the program, they have to deliver a project, and it will be really interesting to watch the project they will deliver across the region. They are resilient, they are determined, they are passionate, and it is great to have them in this parliament today.