Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a privilege to be able to stand up to talk about a recent visit to the south of my electorate, where I was fortunate to go and visit the cenotaph in Dover. The cenotaph has just had recent repairs under the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program. The Dover community and the Dover RSL were awarded $6,100 in grants to conduct major repairs to the lettering, statue, plaque and general maintenance of the cenotaph down at Dover. This work was recently undertaken, and I was pleased to be able to go down there to have a look. This year, of course, is the celebration of the Anzac Centenary. Many organisations and communities around my state and the country celebrated it. It was wonderful that the Dover community was able to do this with the cenotaph refurbishment that occurred.

I would like to put on record my congratulations to the local RSL members, the community and David Bentham and Knox Napier from the Esperance RSL Sub-Branch, for their work and dedication in making sure that these repairs were undertaken. When I visited them, they also took the opportunity to point out to me some further repairs and maintenance that are required for the cenotaph, as they should. I am currently trying to assist them to get the funds to undertake those additional works that are required for the Dover cenotaph, and for that community down there that are very passionate about it. We should all continue to honour the sacrifice of the fallen in this way.