Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

If I were asked to name one thing that makes me proud to be Australian it is the volunteering spirit and the fact that Australians across the board always help those in need. Last week, in Chisholm we held our inaugural annual Chisholm Volunteer Awards night at which we had the honour of our very special guest the Hon. Julie Bishop. Having the Minister for Foreign Affairs taking the time to attend and give these awards with me is a testament to how warmly and truly appreciative the Turnbull government are of the thousands of Australians who contribute and volunteer their own time. Forty-two recipients, their friends, families and colleagues all gathered at Crossway in Burwood. They came from a diverse range of Chisholm volunteer organisations. Attendees were entertained by a choir from the wonderful Koonung Secondary College, who sang beautifully and also led the singing of our national anthem to open the ceremony. Indeed, the attendance of the foreign minister was a wonderful addition to the evening. I am so proud to be part of a Turnbull government which is ensuring that our local volunteer organisations in Chisholm will have the support to continue their valuable work.

I was pleased to name Mr Trevor Eddy as the 2017 Chisholm Volunteer of the Year. Trevor was nominated by Burke & Beyond in Blackburn South, who provide an important inclusive and supportive environment for individuals of all abilities, and Greenlink Box Hill in Box Hill North for his outstanding dedication to both organisations and the local community. It was an honour to be in the company of such wonderful people and their families who, like Trevor, exemplify Australian citizenship and values and make such outstanding contributions. They are as follows: Christine Prandi from Alkira Centre; Janet Tung from Alkira Centre; Claire Morton from Avenue Neighbourhood House; Judy Hope from Box Hill Girl Guides; Charlie Xu nominated by Box Hill police station; Sharon Leverett nominated by Box Hill Wesley Calisthenics Club; Liz Logan by Burke & Beyond; Cheryl Webster from Burwood Neighbourhood House Knitted Knockers; Ron Jacobs, Carrington Health Men's Shed; William Au Yeung from Chinese Health Foundation of Australia; Shun Fong Wong, Chinese Parents Special Support Network; Siu Man 'Betty' Tung, Chinese Parents Special Support Network; Sue Scamporlino, City of Whitehorse Meals on Wheels; Merran Smith, Clota Cottage Neighbourhood House; Angela Czarnota, Crossway LifeCare; Kim Ng from Crossway LifeCare; Mary Groves from Dixon House; Tim Cooke, Eastern Gymnastics Club; Nicholas Mitchell from FROGS Basketball; Robert Jones from Greenlink; Vicky Kafkakis from Kariatides Greek Women's Club; Janet Radnell from Kingston Adult Day Activity Support; from the Louise Multicultural Centre: Judy Ho, Margaret Crutch, Moyra Dovolil, Salwa Aly and Sara Yuan Ying Huang; from the Migrant Information Centre in East Melbourne, Raymond Murray; Sarah Jeong from Monash City Council Dementia Day Centre; Ann Koch from Monash City Council Meals on Wheels; Pam Wilson from Monash Health McCulloch House; Kathleen Hosie and Robert Jamieson from Monash Oakleigh Community Support and Information Service; Alex Forbes and Joe Horniak from OC Connections; Dorothy Timmerman from the Royal Children's Hospital Waverley Auxiliary; Glenys Pattison, Rotary Club of Clayton and Ben Peacock from the Victorian Vision Impaired Tenpin Bowling Association.

Indeed, all the winners were so incredibly deserving of these awards, as they were all nominated by other members in the Chisholm community. Volunteering is in the DNA of all Australians, and I am proud to say that the Turnbull government grants of approximately $10 million are benefiting nearly 100,000 volunteers across Australia.

The grants will assist a range of volunteer organisations in Chisholm as well, including groups where our award recipients volunteer, such as the Chinese Health Foundation of Australia, the Greek Seniors and Pensioners Association of Clayton and District and Hera Greek Ladies Club, the Victorian Vision Impaired Tenpin Bowling Association, the Burwood Neighbourhood House, Dixon House Neighbourhood Centre, Catanzaro Senior Citizens' Club Of Monash, Monash-Waverley Community Information and Support centre, the Cook Islands Women's Federation of Victoria and the Australian Iranian Society of Victoria.

I would like to conclude by thanking the wonderful team at Crossway—not only for the integral work they do in our community but also for providing the venue for such a wonderful event—and, of course, the Koonung Secondary College. It was an honour and a privilege to be in the company of so many fantastic people in Chisholm—Australians who have each contributed to the marvellous community we share, enjoy and love in my electorate of Chisholm.

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