Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to sincerely thank the member for Shortland for bringing this motion forward. As the member for Oxley just said, Meals on Wheels is one of the unifying factors in this House. When I am doing graduation ceremonies or doing my year 12 leaver guides I tell the kids in grade 12 to do something the next year and that one of the things they must do is volunteer—give blood or go and work for someone—to do something for somebody and not expect anything in return. One of those great institutions is Meals on Wheels.

When Peter Parr was CEO of the North Queensland Cowboys he always spoke about surf lifesaving clubs. He said you never found an unhappy clubbie; they were always great places to be. I agree with the member for Oxley: you walk into a Meals on Wheels kitchen and there is not an unhappy person there. They are all enjoying the work. They work hard and they do not stop. I agree with the member for Higgins, who said that the meals are probably the least important part of the day. Yes, that keeps you alive, but it is not only the companionship of the people they go to visit but the companionship of the people who work in the kitchens that gives people something to do. The ladies and men who go there to drive the cars do it not only because they know they are doing something fantastic for the community; they are doing it as an outlet for themselves.

I would like to raise a couple of points in relation to the St Andrews Meals on Wheels in Townsville, which is run by St Andrews Presbyterian Church and has been delivering meals to Townsville's elderly and disabled for over 45 years. Ray Lazzaroni, who wears some of the worst shirts you will ever see in your life, is the business manager of the centre and he runs the place, as the member for Oxley said, with military precision. It is a very clean place. We have a brand-new facility in Flemming Street Townsville. It is purpose built. It has a drive-through. They were able to overcome objections with the council to get the thing through. It was built by Bern Lancini homes and it is a fantastic facility. Its committee is made up of the Reverend Peter Barber, the chairman; the Reverend Kwangho Song, the vice-chairman; Wendy Lawn, the secretary; John Berry, the treasurer. Justine Alison, Dawn Robinson, Alison McFaull, John McQuaker and Jocelyn Sletten make up the rest of the committee. Jack Ball is the patron. He has been a part of Meals on Wheels since it began in 1964 and has barely missed a day. He is a tremendous bloke.

Meals on Wheels in Townsville caters to over 250 clients and delivers around 1,600 meals per week. Meals on Wheels has proven to be a more vital service as economic times have become harder in Townsville.

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