Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This morning I would like to mention two unique community projects which were officially launched at Brighton in the southern end of my, by Tasmanian standards, large electorate of Lyons last week. The projects are Brighton Council's Community Blitz and the Jordan River Service's Waterbridge Food Co-op Project. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the launch but, having worked closely with the Jordan River Service and the council on day-to-day matters, I was made aware of it and I wanted to mention it today.

Both projects have been brought to fruition in these low-SES areas of my electorate with the help of federal government funding through the Tasmanian Medicare Local. Community Blitz is a partnership program of Brighton Council; Workskills Inc; Tasmania's now world-famous Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA, and its 24 Carrot Gardens; Bridgewater LINC (Library); Bridgewater Trade Training Centre; the Jordan River Learning Federation; Colony 47, Red Cross; and other local community people. The aim of the program is to engage local businesses, community groups and local residents to provide local community people with learning opportunities encouraging involvement in the community and projects to beautify the Brighton municipality.

Those taking part in Community Blitz will work on expanding MONA's 24 Carrot Gardens to three local schools. Those involved will work with vulnerable families across the Brighton Community. Mark Boonstra, who is the chairman of the Community Blitz governance group, said the initiative would create opportunities for job seekers, volunteers and community members to be involved in projects that provide skill and training opportunities while at the same time making a real difference in their communities. The group has outlined a strategy that will leave a 20-year legacy in the community once the two-year project is completed. I think that is a really important measure of any project that has federal funding—the ongoing benefits to the local community of being able to sustain these things themselves.

The Waterbridge Food Co-op project is a partnership project between Jordan River Service; Colony 47; SecondBite; Centacare Evolve Housing' Workskills Inc; the Heart Foundation; and Urban Farming. The plan is to increase access to healthy and affordable food by developing the existing community garden at the Bridgewater Community Centre and establishing a smaller community garden at the Gagebrook Community Centre. Both of these are excellent facilities serving those communities, and I look forward to welcoming Minister Marise Payne at the Bridgewater community centre in a few weeks time.

Helen Manser, from the Jordan River Service, said the new government funding through the Tasmanian Medicare Local meant that the Waterbridge Food Co-op would be significantly expanded. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work that Helen does within her community. She is a fine example and she runs a wonderful facility at the Gagebrook community centre in the south of my electorate. She is totally dedicated to that community. She uses initiative and she does wonderful work there for the people in that part of Tasmania.

Apart from the expansion of the gardens the kitchen and pantry facilities will be expanded at Bridgewater and Gagebrook to enable the preparation of nutritious and affordable food, food education and training, and pop-up kitchens and markets. The project is situated within Brighton's most disadvantaged communities of Bridgewater, Gagebrook and Herdsmans Cove. In addition to the general community, it will target at-risk groups and seek to bring together a wide range of individuals of different ages and life stages such as single parents, children, mature-aged, unemployed and young people. It will be about the power of the garden. It is a place where conversations happen, as people dig, that they might not be able to have at any other time. It is truly a wonderful thing. I have seen firsthand the garden they have established at the Bridgewater community centre, and Chelsea does a great job there. Staff and volunteers from all the partner organisations and community members will be involved in building up the food co-op over the next two years.

I offer my congratulations to all the people involved in developing this project. It truly is a team effort in a part of my electorate that does have challenges in its low-SES communities. The work that is being done by the Brighton Council, the community centre at Bridgewater and Gagebrook, and the other community organisations is to be congratulated.