Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to commend the outstanding work of Carevan Blacktown, a volunteer organisation serving our community in Lalor Park. Each week, Carevan provides a free communal meal and support services to people experiencing hardship, whether due to homelessness, financial stress or social isolation. The volunteers offer more than just food; they offer dignity, compassion and connection. Carevan generously provides hygiene items, clothing and takeaway meals, helping to meet the immediate needs of the community while fostering a sense of belonging. As we approach Christmas their work becomes even more vital. I thank Carvan Blacktown and its dedicated volunteers for their unwavering commitment to uplifting lives and strengthening the social fabric of our electorate.

Every Australian child, no matter where they live or their circumstances, deserves the best school experience possible. I recently had the privilege of joining representatives from the PCYC and New South Wales Police to officially open the new sensory garden and playground at Casuarina School in Riverstone, a specialist school that provides intensive educational and behavioural support for students who need it most. Each week the PCYC supports students to take part in sports and social activities with local police officers, helping to build trust, confidence and positive relationships between young people and law enforcement. They are exactly the kinds of initiatives that make a real difference, helping to set young people on a path towards opportunity and success. This new play area, made possible by $600,000 in funding from the Albanese government, will be utilised by students for this program—allowing them to learn, play and engage with police in the best environment possible.

In Rouse Hill families are leading the way in embracing clean energy solutions. I recently met Kenny, a local resident, who, since installing a home battery under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, has seen his monthly power bill drop from $240 to just $10. This is part of a broader story across Greenway, where about 1,000 households have taken up the program—saving up to $2,300 a year on their power bills. This isn't a story of the inner city; it's a story of the outer suburbs and the regions leading the way on cheaper, cleaner energy. It is suburbs in north-west Sydney such as Rouse Hill, Box Hill, Gables, Kellyville Ridge, Riverstone and Grantham Farm—not Bondi or Bellevue Hill—that are leading the state when it comes to battery uptake. These batteries reduce power bills and cut emissions, and I'm so proud that our community of Greenway is leading the way.