Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to commend the member for Shortland for bringing forward this motion this evening to honour Meals on Wheels, a truly great volunteer organisation in our nation. I would also like to commend those who have spoken before me tonight—the member for Cunningham and also the member for Paterson—who have given their own personal stories about what this organisation means to them and to their local communities.

Meals on Wheels is an exemplary example of how a volunteer organisation can make a positive contribution to society. Meals on Wheels supplies hot meals to elderly and incapacitated people who may not always be able to provide for themselves. It is an invaluable service and its value extends far beyond the capital that it takes to run it. Its value is very much in the people that volunteer their time to make the organisation what it is. I have said in this House on previous occasions that our nation will be judged on how we care for those who cannot care for themselves. Meals on Wheels is an exceptional example of how a community can work together to improve society and a nation as a whole.

Meals on Wheels was founded in Australia in 1952 and is now one of the largest volunteer programs in the nation. In one year alone, over 14.8 million meals were delivered to about 53,000 recipients. Meals of course are the central component of this program. There are many reasons why people may need to have their meals delivered at home. Certainly I know from the local experience in my own electorate of Higgins that as people get older and sometimes lose loved ones, their ability to prepare a nutritious meal for themselves can become a very stressful experience. Many people who would otherwise be able to lead independent lives would not have that option if they were not provided with the service that is provided by Meals on Wheels.

There are currently more than 78,700 volunteers registered with the program. It is truly one of the nations great volunteer movements and is one that should make every Australian proud. As the Meals on Wheels mantra suggests, though, it is more than just a meal. The volunteers to this program do so much more than simply drop off a meal and leave; they spend time with those people they are servicing, offering friendly conversation, companionship and sometimes just somebody who can check in to see that they are doing okay. Most importantly, they make the people whom they serve feel valued, which I think is probably the most important gift of all.

I would like to particularly pay tribute to the volunteer nature of this program. Giving one's time to assist others while seeking no personal reward in return is a truly noble act and cannot be praised or recognised enough. In Higgins we are blessed with so many people who are committed to serving others. It is this commitment to charity and to community service that transforms our neighbourhood into a community. It is one of the more rewarding tasks of my job to have the privilege of representing constituents and to be able to present them with grants through such things as the Volunteer Grants program, which was initially implemented by the Howard government under the title Volunteer Small Equipment Grants program. This just makes it a little bit easier for those people who give of their time, and it means some people who would otherwise not be able to give of their time are able to do that.

For those who are not familiar with how the Meals on Wheels program works, the administration within Victoria is conducted by local councils. In Higgins this means the majority of the program falls under the jurisdiction of the Stonnington Council, and I would like to particularly thank them, along with the Boroondara, Glenara and Monash councils for all the great work and resources that they commit.

I would like to conclude tonight by reiterating the importance of this service to so many people, not only to the elderly but also to the disabled and those who cannot always look after themselves.

See this speech in context