There are many unsung heroes in our community, and that's why I held the Caroline Chisholm Volunteer Awards ceremony yet again this year on 23 October at the Mount Waverley Community Centre. It was an opportunity to sing the praises of our volunteers.

Our electorate was named after one of Australia's great volunteers, Caroline Chisholm. She was a legendary and highly regarded volunteer of her time in the 19th century. She worked predominantly to help women who had emigrated and arrived in Australia. She was a tireless worker and an absolutely remarkable woman.

The awards are presented to volunteers who live or perform voluntary work in the Chisholm electorate, and they give recognition to inspirational people who make a difference to their communities and an important contribution to their community organisation.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10:11 to 10:40

The Caroline Chisholm Awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise people who do so much for our community.

We received many nominations this year and presented awards to 41 community volunteers, who I would like to mention today: Rachael Kennedy from the East Malvern Junior Football Club, Jillian Malin from the Monash Toy Libraries, Michael Miao from the Chinese Association of Monash, Trevor Smyth from Waverley Tennis, Linda Machin from Monash University Cricket Club, John Edgar from Burwood Cricket Club, Jennie Tang from Asian Australian Volunteers, Asokumar Navaratnam from Victorian Tamil Senior Citizens Benevolent Society, Devasena Babu from Victoria Tamil Women's Benevolent Society, Peggy Creek from the First Mount Waverley Scout Group, Tess McBaron from Amaroo Neighbourhood Centre, Allen Clark from Glen Waverley Bowls Club, Connie Tzelepis from the Rotary Club of Monash Glen Waverley, Noel Johnstone from the Monash Men's Shed, Sushma Vats from Knitted Knockers Australia, Felicity Smith from Monash Community Arts Society, Jasvinder Singh from the Indian Senior Citizens Association of Victoria, Glenys Chandler from First Mount Waverley Scout Group, Xin-Er Chen from Eastern Health, Gwen Nelson from Monash National Service Association, Peter Crandle from Waverley Woodworkers, Anil Sood from the Australian Indian Seniors Association, Vihas Somaratne from Syndal Storm Basketball Club, Dora Macris from Alamein Neighbourhood and Learning, Parminder Jabbal from the Friends of the Children Foundation, Sokratis Ioannou from the Monash Greek Macedonian Elderly Citizens Club, Yvonne Merritt, Victoria Scrivenger, Brian Priestnall, Kamlavathi Reddy, Tracey Ryan, Claire Leonard, Jan Chivers, Marieta Jones, Mark Edmonds, Patricia Jardine, Sandra Riley, Jenny Blain, Paul Crane, Michelle Channon, Sithy Marikar and Drew Ashton.

I was running out of time, so I couldn't say all of those community groups, but we're so lucky to have some amazing volunteers in our community. I thank them for their work and congratulate them again on their achievements.