Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The long arms of government bureaucracy do not create a community spirit. A community spirit is formed when people and organisations come together with a shared purpose and provide help and support to those in need. In Reid, we are fortunate to have so many great community organisations, groups and charities which I'm very proud to support. Eurella Community Services is a registered NDIS service provider which supports people of all ages with disability. Located in Burwood, its mission is to increase participation of people with a disability in Australia. Under the Powering Communities Program I have recently provided the organisation with a $12,000 grant for the installation of LED-lighting fans, split-system air conditioning and a new fridge, cooktop and oven. This project will help Eurella continue to provide vital services for the most vulnerable members of our community at the highest possible quality. I am proud to support them and look forward to visiting them soon.

Concord Occasional Child Care is a service which offers early childhood education and care. Their inclusive care settings mean children are not divided into age groups or separate rooms. The result is a learning environment where all children are connected, included and supported. Under the Powering Communities Program I am proud to have provided them with a grant of just over $6,000 to purchase a new fridge, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine.

As an educational and developmental psychologist, I know how incredibly important early education is for our younger Australians. As a government we are supporting families and education providers to offer the best-quality start in life for the youngest members of our community.

Part of my job as a member of parliament is to get out into the community and to listen to the concerns of my constituents. A topic which is frequently raised with me is climate change. Whether they are school students, parents or older Australians, people from all walks of life want to know what the government is doing on real climate action. This is why the federal government is investing in the most advanced technologies—to bring down our emissions without taxing Australians more.

The government's technology led plans includes investing in clean hydrogen, electricity storage, low-emission steel and aluminium production, carbon capture and storage, and soil carbon sequestration. This focus on technology complements our other policies, including the $3.5 billion climate solutions package. In 2019, Australia deployed new renewable energy 10 times faster per capita than the global average and four times faster per capita than in Europe, China, Japan and the United States. Australia has the world's highest per capita uptake of rooftop solar. Nearly one in four Australian homes have solar on their roof. St Paul's Anglican Church in Burwood are also doing their bit to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Under the powering communities fund they received $11,235 to go towards the installation of solar panels.

Wednesday 2 June is Italian Republic Day. The historical day commemorates the institutional referendum of 1946 when Italians were called to take a poll and decide the form of their government after World War II. It was through this referendum that Italians chose a republic with a constituent assembly and removed the old kingdom from power. Australia is fortunate to be home to a rich Italian community. There are over one million Australians of Italian descent and, in Reid, we have over 17,000 Italian Australians. Pre COVID, hundreds of thousands of Australians and Italians would travel between our two countries every year. I congratulate the Italian community on the 75th anniversary of the birth of the Republic of Italy and wish you a joyous Festa della Repubblica.