Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on a great Australian icon—that is, Meals on Wheels. Yesterday, 27 August, was National Meals on Wheels Day. There were many activities in this House, and I know that the Minister for Ageing delivered meals with the local Canberra branch yesterday to some residents. Amongst all the other activities, I launched the Meals on Wheels Parliamentary Friends Group in this parliament together with my co-convenor of the group, Mr Mark Coulton, the MP for Parkes. Many members of parliament attended, including my good friend and colleague the member for Shortland, who is in the House today. We hope that we can work together with Meals on Wheels so that they can access the federal parliament and have their views heard through this democratic system.

I thank Leon Holmes, the national president of Meals on Wheels, and Cam Pearce, the national secretary, as well as Paul, Kaye, Lauren and Kristine for attending yesterday and making the friendship group possible. I also acknowledge and thank some local people from the Meals on Wheels in my local electorate, including Leon Glastonbury, the former president of the West Torrens Meals on Wheels, who has just stood down from that position after many, many years of tireless work as a volunteer there.

I also thank Dean Allan, President of the Glenelg Meals on Wheels, for the great work that he does. I had the pleasure of attending both the West Torrens branch of Meals on Wheels and the Glenelg branch of Meals on Wheels earlier this month, and I saw firsthand the great work that they do. Leon Glastonbury, the former president of the West Torrens Meals on Wheels, also arranged for me to take out some meals, and I do that with different branches around the electorate on a regular basis. It really gives you a great insight into the great work that these volunteers do and the lives that they touch.

Meal on Wheels is a great organisation. It is an organisation that should be thanked for the tireless work that it conducts to ensure that its meals reach people in my electorate and of course in electorates all over Australia. I believe that the commitment that Meals on Wheels makes in assisting the elderly and isolated in the community should be recognised by the federal parliament, as it was yesterday. We should continue to do all we can do for it and give it all the recognition and assistance that it needs. I hope the group that we formed yesterday will allow the views of Meals on Wheels volunteers and staff and the local community to be reflected in the federal parliament.

I know that all of us here, on both sides of the House, believe that volunteers should be recognised for the great work that they do. We know that they do fantastic work at all levels across our electorates. That is why we have made $21 million available through the Volunteer Grants Program. Community organisations are able to apply for funding to purchase small equipment items such as tools, computers, microwaves, sporting equipment and uniforms. In addition, organisations will be able to reimburse their volunteers for their fuel costs. This will assist volunteers in their important work, including those who use their cars to transport others to activities, deliver food and assist people in need.

We acknowledge the tireless contribution volunteers of Meals on Wheels make to the Australian community. I was honoured to host yesterday’s function, and all the other MPs that were there were honoured to attend. Most of us are also honoured to attend regular Meals on Wheels events throughout the electorates of Australia. The volunteers of Meals on Wheels provide a service which allows thousands of Australians to remain in their homes and live independently. The elderly, ill and disabled and those who are unable to cook for themselves all benefit from the goodwill of the volunteers of Meals on Wheels.

We know that volunteerism is the lifeblood of the community. It is no different for Meals on Wheels, as only some of its running costs are covered by the state and federal governments. Volunteers keep over 100 branches across South Australia running every day, delivering 5,000 meals across the state. There are 10,000 volunteers donating some 750,000 hours per year, operating through 100 branches and 40 kitchens within South Australia alone, serving meals to over 5,000 regular clients. Meals on Wheels provides high quality meals at affordable prices. These are highly impressive statistics and I congratulate all of the branches of Meals on Wheels within my electorate for sustaining such tremendous work on such a large scale. Without the incredible number of hours volunteers put in, many people would miss out each week. Not only would Meals on Wheels as an organisation cease to exist without the volunteers, but the lives of thousands of South Australians and the lives of hundreds of people within my electorate would be substantially diminished. (Time expired)

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