Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the weekend, I had the great privilege of attending the Bendigo VIEW club's 20th birthday celebrating their work and achievements. Over 20 years, they have raised over $40,000 for local disadvantaged kids' scholarships. They also do a lot of good work in being mentors, having a book club and having an after-school homework club.

VIEW Clubs of Australia are national women's organisations that are formed as part of the Smith Family organisation. They are women from our community who come together with the best interests of education at heart. VIEW, which stands for Voice, Interests and Education of Women, was established to ensure that young women, particularly in the regions, had the opportunity and the network of support to gain an education. The many fond memories that the women spoke about included meeting some of the previous students whom they had helped, who had gone on to careers and who came back to the VIEW club to speak about what they were up to. They spoke to young women from Eaglehawk and California Gully, areas of high disadvantage within the Bendigo electorate. These women have gone on to have successful careers and lives, and they owe it to the support that they received from their Bendigo VIEW Club. I congratulate Bendigo VIEW Club on its 20th anniversary and look forward to celebrating its next decade of achievements.