Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm here to speak on the Deception Bay Dragons Football Club and the Lions Recycle For Sight organisation in Redcliffe, who have both benefitted from the Australian government's solar grants. I recently visited both community groups and checked out their new solar systems.

I want to thank the Deception Bay Dragons Football Club managers, James and Kim Dean, for the great work that they have done. Since taking over the club in 2008, they have significantly increased membership and have made a great number of improvements at the club. Their new 60-panel, 15-kilowatt system saves them over $4,500 per year in power bills, allowing them to reinvest their savings to ensure membership fees stay low and to save for additional upgrades, such as installing netting behind the goals to stop the balls being kicked out onto Old Bay Road.

I also want to highlight the great work that Lions Recycle For Sight do. Last week alone, they shipped off over 69,000 pairs of glasses and other medical supplies to the Philippines. They have now installed a six-kilowatt lithium ion battery as well as a 23-solar-panel system. This system generates enough electricity to power their daily operations and reduces their power bills to almost nothing. The battery backup allows them to operate at night as well. I'm proud to be part of a Liberal/National government delivering reliable, adorable and renewable energy.

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