Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have today begun the process to have a petition tabled in this parliament which contains some 2,400 signatures calling for a headspace facility to be built in Griffith which would service the Western Riverina. This is particularly important for the youth of that region, particularly with the troubles that they have had in recent times with an economic downturn, and it would be really important to have this facility built. These people deserve to have such a facility—not just an internet based service; not just a hotline; they need the actual physical presence of a headspace in Griffith to service the entire Western Riverina.

There were plenty of happy faces, energy, noise and cool moves, I am happy to report, at Leeton recently when the Vibe Australia 3on3 Basketball and Hip Hop Challenge was attended by hundreds of Riverina schoolchildren. The day was about young people getting in and having a game of basketball, learning about healthy lifestyles and just being able to talk and communicate with one another. That is really important, particularly for the youth of today who face many, many challenges—we all know that.

And we all know that we have some great young people who are achieving wonderful things, not just in the Riverina but in every electorate right across Australia, and I sometimes think that we do not give them the credit that they deserve. But certainly these sorts of days are very important in helping them to lead healthy lifestyles, and certainly I will be demanding, calling for and working hard to, hopefully, achieve a headspace facility in Griffith.

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