Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to recognise a small business that represents the very best of community spirit in my electorate of Hunter. For the last 40 years, Lucinda's Unisex Salon has been a constant presence in the Morisset town centre. For many locals, particularly older residents, it has been far more than just a place to go and get a haircut. It has been a place of connection, trust and genuine care. I've repeatedly heard about the compassion shown by Janet and her team. This is a salon where people are known by name, where stories are shared, where no-one is rushed out the door. Over the years, the staff at Lucinda's have gone well and truly above and beyond what anyone could reasonably expect. They've arranged a salon so clients could lie down when they felt unwell. They've walked older customers to the safety of their cars. They've called on family members when someone's needed medical assistance. These aren't services you find on a price list, but they matter deeply to the community of the Hunter.

At the end of February, Janet will retire after four decades of service. Places like Lucinda's Unisex Salon remind us that strong communities are built on small places and by people who care. Janet and her staff deserve our thanks, our respect and our recognition for the dignity and kindness that they've shown, especially to older Australians, over the last 40 years. Thank you so much for your service that you've done to Morisset area and to the broader Hunter. Keep up the great work.