House debates

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Statements by Members

McMillan Electorate: Toora Post Office, Parkes Electorate: Drought

1:37 pm

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Thirty-six thousand five hundred days ago the local post office opened in Toora. I was there for the 100th anniversary celebration. I received a very special thank you card:

To Russell

Thank you so much for your support of our local post office. It is very much appreciated as is your attendance today to celebrate our centenary.

Maree and Greg Stewart

What a day it was at the celebration of the Toora post office. We enjoyed together the company of the local Toora primary school students, and every one of them had designed a coloured stamp of their own. Australia Post came down and made a great presentation, which was a lovely prize, to the student who won the best stamp. It was a great day for all of us, but the thanks should have gone to Malcolm Turnbull for his efforts on behalf of local post offices right across regional Australia.

In my last 30 seconds, I would like to identify with Mark Coulton, a member of this House, who has an ongoing drought in his area. Drought is worse than a bushfire. Drought is something that continues to grab hold of a community every day. We do not get the resources that come in after a bushfire, where we get state, local, federal and community donations. I just want to identify with those in Australia today facing drought in that north-central part of New South Wales and Queensland. We are on their side.