Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great pleasure to rise to give due recognition to the role that volunteers play in our community, particularly in Kingsford Smith. I specifically want to note not only the efforts of the surf-lifesaving clubs and those who work in women’s refuges and sporting clubs but also, in particular, the Kooloora Community Centre, whose 20th anniversary celebration I attended earlier this year.

For the last 20 years, Kooloora has played an important role in the electorate of Kingsford Smith. It is situated in Malabar and it serves some of the most disadvantaged in our community. I have had the pleasure of visiting and working with Kooloora on a number of occasions since my election. I have been greatly impressed by the commitment of the team who work at the centre. Kooloora provides a number of really useful and worthwhile programs: fitness for seniors, vacation child care, toddler playgroups, computer classes, a women’s support network, an environment group and social bus trips, to name just a few. Of particular interest to me is a service that they provide particularly for elderly people in the community, which is the provision of fresh fruit and vegetables: volunteers collect bags of fresh fruit and veg for community members to purchase for $10 over the week. Those are luxury items for many people, so this service ensures that those who need this healthy food the most can actually purchase it.

Additionally, Kooloora plays a significant role in the civic life of the community. It holds ‘meet the candidates’ forums prior to federal and state elections. These forums give residents the opportunity to hear firsthand from the candidates of the different political parties as well as the ability to ask them penetrating and incisive questions. You are really put on your mettle when you go to the Kooloora Community Centre.

I want to make special mention of the commitment of Julie Spies, who leads the organisation and has provided untiring and unstinting effort for many years to build the Kooloora Community Centre into an organisation that plays a central and pivotal role in our community of Kingsford Smith. Additionally, volunteers such as George and Gillian Collinson serve tirelessly and provide great encouragement to others and continue to work effectively to increase the activities of Kooloora over time.

A 2006 ABS report found that the volunteer sector is worth some $42 billion. I know everyone in the parliament recognises that the contribution of volunteers to community wellbeing is absolutely essential. Our volunteers are at the heart of our community and I want to place on the record my appreciation for the work that is done not only by the Kooloora Community Centre but also by the many other volunteers associations in the electorate of Kingsford Smith.

Finally, before my speaking time runs out, I would like to wish the Rainbow Street Child Care Centre all the best for the new premises and all the success in the coming year for the important work that they will be doing.

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