Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure today to acknowledge and honour the work that is being carried out by the Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service and to thank David Noonan, the CEO, and his team, the board and chair, Craig Taylor, for the excellent work that they do. This service is largely funded from the Commonwealth Department of Health; employs 50 staff, of whom 25 are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; and looks after between 3,500 and 4,000 clients each year. One-third of them come from my electorate in north-east Victoria. It provides a range of services: two full-time doctors and three registrars; dental services; nursing services, including a male nurse; social and emotional wellbeing; administration; and, really importantly, transport. When I visited the service on Friday, one of my favourite places was the Koori Men's Shed and the work that they are doing but also restoring pushbikes.

To the people who are a responsible for maintaining the service, I say congratulations. It is a beautiful place to visit. It is superbly designed. The gardens are really restful, and you receive a warm welcome and experience that sense of open inclusive space. I acknowledge and thank the workers for their professional, creative and innovative way they care for the people in my electorate and all through southern New South Wales. Thank you for what you do.