Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia Day is one of my favourite days in my community. We're a community backed by our strong volunteerism, a place where people show up, help others and find ways to bring our community together. That's exactly what our local Rotarians did at the annual Monbulk Rotary and the Wandin Rotary Australia Day breakfasts. It was great to chat with local families, hear from Megan from the Royal Children's Hospital about the impact of fundraising on sick Aussie kids and listen to Woori Yallock Primary School students Dixi and Molly, who were guest speakers at the Wandin Rotary event.

From there, it was on to the Rotary Club of Wandin's Free Family Fun Day, an amazing day with food, entertainment and fun for the whole family. In true Australian spirit, the Community Bank Wandin-Seville announced $10,000 each for four local CFA brigades: Coldstream CFA, Gruyere CFA, Wandin CFA and Seville CFA. This is the third time that the Community Bank Wandin-Seville have made this contribution. They have given $120,000 to these much-needed and deserving brigades. Thank you to Ray and the team at the Bendigo Bank. This money will help with equipment and operations as the brigades continue to protect our local community and communities all across Victoria and the country.

It was fantastic to welcome our newest citizens at the Yarra Ranges Council citizenship ceremony before the annual community awards event. I had the privilege of announcing the 2026 Yarra Ranges Citizen of the Year as Emma Sullivan. Emma was recognised for amazing work with the Wattle Wildlife Shelter in the Dandenong Ranges. Unfortunately, Emma couldn't be there—but it was for a great reason. She was out at the firegrounds volunteering to help look after wildlife. Thank you, Emma, for your service to our community. I also want to congratulate the Community Group of the Year, the Montrose Township Group; the Environmental Achiever, Patrick Natoli; the Young Environmental Achiever, Coen Pearson, who delivered a brilliant speech on the day. I also congratulate the recipient of the Ian De La Rue Award for Community Leadership, Heath Pawley; and the recipient of the Mayor's Lifetime Achievement Award, Mr Warburton, Gordon Buller.

It was special that I could also personally congratulate former mayor, current councillor and great friend of mine, Councillor Jim Child. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his commitment to local government and our Yarra Ranges community. Jim has been serving our community for a long time that he was a councillor when it was the Shire of Upper Yarra, before the Yarra Ranges was created in the early nineties.

Congratulations to Jim Richards, Paul Birch, Alan Clayton, George McDonald and Neil McLeod for each receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia as well; and to Detective Sergeant Dr Jenelle Hardiman, who received the Australian Police Medal. Jessica Drummond received the Ambulance Service Medal and Anthony Kolmus received the Public Service Medal.

We have some wonderful schools in my community of Casey, and it was fantastic to get out to many of them while in the community over summer. I'd like to give a shout-out to the students at Yarra Junction Primary School, who've been learning about the impact of plastics on our marine life and local environment. Ms Thomas's grades 1 and 2 students took their knowledge of single-use plastics and turned it into a persuasive letter that they shared with me during a recent visit. Prime Minister, on behalf of the Yarra Junction Primary School students, I wanted to let you know that they are concerned about the single-use plastic packaging used by supermarkets and the impact it is having on our waterways. I urge you to do all you can to reduce this. In many of their letters, they have requested that supermarkets stop using or use less single-use plastic packaging. Congratulations to Ms Thomas and the grade 1/2s on their great environmental advocacy.

With so much of our community surrounded by the beautiful Yarra River, it is so important that students learn how to protect our environment for years to come. I recently had the opportunity to head back again to Yarra Junction to recognise the grade 6 leaders. Congratulations to them. I was also out last Friday at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School to recognise the leaders. Speaker, Bimbadeen Heights might sound familiar. That was the school you came and visited with me last year, and you're warmly remembered there. The new leaders will still debate whether pineapple should go on pizzas or not. I also had the opportunity to go to Oxley heights Christian school to recognise the new leaders for 2026. I want to wish all the primary school and high school students in Casey all the best for 2026.