Ged Kearney (Cooper, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to honour Jenny Rayner. She's a longstanding and beloved community worker who recently retired after 18 years of service to the most vulnerable members of my electorate, Cooper. Jenny's retirement from the Jika Jika Community Centre, a local neighbourhood house, gave us all pause to reflect on her work over almost two decades.

Jenny ran playgroups at the beginning, critical for connection between parents and for the development of children. She then worked providing outreach to the residents at the Walker Street public housing estate, where she ran homework programs and advocated for the public housing tenants there. At the High Street housing estate, Jenny ran everything from cooking classes to putting in vegetable gardens and caring for the residents there. She organised hampers for Christmas, delivered meals and ran activities like the popular chalk drawing competition during COVID. All these programs and activities are about connection. They're about people centred, community centred care. They are programs designed to meet real need on the ground, programs that can't be easily accessed elsewhere and that foster healthy, connected living while addressing unmet need and essential support for anyone who needs it in our community.

When I think of Jenny and her work, she embodies the essence of community work done right across Victoria through our neighbourhood houses. It reminds me of the many wonderful community workers now in retirement. And, while these are not exclusively female domains, it happens to be women from neighbourhood houses who have provided timely and effective services to the community over many decades—great women like Marie Goonan, Angie Davidson, Gina Wittingslow and Colleen Duggan, who all left our community stronger and more resilient through their tireless work and advocacy. I thank sincerely Jenny and all the workers in neighbourhood houses.

These are amazing spaces designed to meet hyperlocal needs centred in neighbourhoods with the diverse needs of each location in mind and in heart. They are spaces that provide friendship, support, learning and wellbeing. I don't know of any other space where anyone can drop in for a cuppa to reduce their isolation, collect a food parcel, speak to a support worker, learn a skill, volunteer, join an activity group and the list goes on. All of these activities provide support to improve the wellbeing of community members. This is not a flippant statement; it is a fact. Neighbourhood houses contribute $21.94 of value for every dollar of funding they receive. I'm sure there's not an MP amongst us that doesn't appreciate the value of neighbourhood houses. To all the workers in neighbourhood houses across Victoria: thank you for putting community first. Your responsiveness is what brings care, compassion, knowledge and dedication.