Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll have an opportunity later to speak at greater length on the flood emergency in my electorate, but I'll say now that the region has been hit very hard and the risk is ongoing. But our communities have rallied to help each other, as good communities do, and a great example I want to talk about is GV Cares—Goulburn Valley Cares. Their coordinated volunteer effort to assist with basic needs like food, medicines and clothing is all the more remarkable because this organisation didn't even exist before August 2021. It sprang from nowhere when a COVID-19 outbreak in the Greater Shepparton area led all major schools to be declared tier 1 sites. Close to 20,000 residents entered 14 days of mandatory isolation.

The flow-on impact of nearly a third of our population being in quarantine was immense. The workforce shrank at the same time as demand for deliveries of food and other essentials soared. I was one of the many volunteers who delivered boxes to the doorsteps of locked-down residents, and the whole experience brought our community closer together.

The Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project recognised the crisis that was unfolding and drew together service organisations, community groups and volunteers and provided a rapid response for food relief. It is estimated that 8,000 people were supported during this crisis. During the floods that we've got at the moment, they've been doing the same valuable work, demonstrating once again the true value of connected and caring communities. Amy Robinson from the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project, Jeremy Rensford from Shepparton Foodshare and all the volunteers deserve recognition for their incredible efforts helping people in this time of crisis.