Mary Doyle (Aston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the weekend I had the wonderful privilege of hosting the second annual Tilly Aston Community Awards. Held in Wantirna, at the Chinese Association of Victoria, these awards honoured outstanding contributions and achievements within the Aston community. Named after Tilly Aston, a renowned advocate for social causes, these awards aim to celebrate individuals and groups that have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership and positive impact in various aspects of community life. Among the recipients of the awards were tireless volunteers in schools, charitable and community organisations and sporting clubs who've been working selflessly for others in ways that bring the community together. It was fantastic to be able to honour and recognise so many outstanding members of the Aston community and highlight their work with others.

Speaking of bringing community together, I want to now highlight a great club in my electorate: the Knox United Soccer Club. This club, which began in 1993 and has many passionate members, had needed a new forever home for a while. I have met and consulted with them several times since becoming the member for Aston, and their advocacy for upgrades to facilities and the new pavilion paid off. I was rapt to have announced, alongside the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon. Catherine King MP, in April that a re-elected Albanese Labor government would commit $1.8 million towards a brand new pavilion with two extra change rooms catering to the needs of the increasing number of girls and women who play soccer with this club. Knox United Soccer Club, as well as Knoxfield Knights Cricket Club, were very happy to have this $1.8 million commitment from our government alongside a $5.3 million commitment from Knox City Council, and they're now looking forward to seeing the pavilion's implementation. The Albanese Labor government are committed to women's sport, as I am too, and this investment in local sport will ensure that all members of the community are able to access these fantastic sporting clubs.

Another Albanese Labor government commitment is the Home Guarantee Scheme, which 782 people in Aston have already accessed, and now the dream of owning a home is getting closer for more people. From 1 October this year, every Australian buying their first home will be able to do so with just a five per cent deposit and without the added cost of lenders mortgage insurance. This will ensure that more young people, families and hardworking people in Aston and, indeed, in Australia will have the chance to buy their first home sooner. For example, people living in Aston suburbs like Heathmont, Wantirna, Rowville and Knoxfield can purchase a $1 million home with a $50,000 deposit instead of a $200,000 deposit. In its first year of operating alone, this scheme will save homeowners approximately $1.5 billion in mortgage insurance costs. Wow! That's much-needed money that will stay in the pockets of household budgets, and it's bringing homeownership within reach so much sooner. This scheme is part of the Albanese government's $43 billion housing agenda, including a $10 billion commitment to deliver 100,000 homes exclusively for first home buyers. By delivering this reform, we are giving Australians a chance to step into their first home, build security for their families and invest in their futures.

One more wonderful thing that the Albanese Labor government has done for the people of Australia and the good people of Aston is ensure that there is a Medicare urgent care clinic close by for those types of non-life-threatening injuries that still need to be seen to urgently. Recently, I received a lovely thankyou card from Jennifer from Wantirna South, who wrote to me about having to access the urgent care clinic in Bayswater when her husband needed it. She said in her card that she and her husband could not thank me enough for this service and that both the nurse and doctor there were very caring to both her husband and her. Of course, the urgent care clinic in Bayswater is bulk-billed as well, another fantastic aspect of this initiative that this government has achieved for the Australian people—real changes for which people like Jennifer and her husband are 100 per cent thankful and of which the benefits are obvious. I am very proud to be part of the Albanese Labor government that is delivering so many excellent policies that help people in my community and across Australia.