Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I just wanted to rise to support the motion by the member for Bonner, which recognises the amazing contribution that volunteers make to our community. They do that through organisations like sports clubs, charities and community organisations. On a bipartisan basis, I would like to welcome the Australian government's allocation of $20 million in funding to support volunteering. I would like to point out to people, particularly in my constituency, that volunteer grants are now open for community groups and organisations to apply for. The applications close on 18 September. The grants are between $1,000 and $5,000 and are available to help not-for-profit community organisations or groups to support their volunteers through practical measures such as the purchase of small equipment items, reimbursement for volunteers' fuel and transportation costs and contributions towards the cost of training and background screening checks. I would encourage all of the volunteers, particularly in my constituency, to apply for these grants. I know that the financial assistance will make a real difference.

In Holt, as we've heard in other presentations so far, we have many wonderful volunteers. In the constituency of Holt, each Australia Day we conduct the Holt Australia Day Awards to highlight the local unsung heroes who volunteer their time and who make a real difference in the community. One of the great volunteers who received one of the Holt Australia Day Awards this year was Aaron Grant. Aaron is a young man who has been a tireless volunteer on the committee for the Cranbourne Public Hall. Aaron can often be found working in the gardens or on jobs that need to be done, including painting the hall. Aaron also helps run the 'Casey Crime Page' on Facebook. He is the young man who helped start it up. It has 43,000 followers. He works full time, in addition to being a member of the blue light disco and Spirit of Cranbourne, whilst helping out unconditionally with many other community fundraisers.

Coming back to the Casey crime Facebook page, it really is a very good reference point. When things do happen in the south-eastern suburbs you can often obtain a lot of useful information by accessing that particular page. To have 43,000 followers, I think, says something about the credibility of that Facebook page. I would like to thank him in particular for the work that he does in maintaining that page and putting up up-to-date, accurate information for people that need it, because we have had some challenges in the south-east, particularly with some crime that's occurred down there.

Talking more about Aaron, he is a very generous young man. For example, during the significant fires in Carrum Downs over the summer period, Aaron purchased 1,200 icy poles and delivered them to the firefighters, volunteers, police and other emergency service workers. He also runs drives for the homeless and is currently involved in a drive for the Cranbourne Information and Support Service for the back-to-school program. In addition, Aaron has been the instigator of several GoFundMe pages to support community members who have had family members either critically injured or killed in accidents. I take the opportunity in this House to congratulate Aaron Grant for volunteering his precious time to so many local causes in Cranbourne.

About the Cranbourne area, I would also like to highlight the volunteer work of Lyn and Barry Leeds from the Cranbourne Information and Support Service. Lyn and Barry live at the Blue Hills Rise retirement village and they work with Sue Owen to raise funds. The money raised by Lyn and Barry is then used to supply new mums bags, homeless persons packs, Christmas gifts and vouchers for the back-to-school support program. Each year a good portion of the funds raised is used to purchase food and vouchers for large hampers to be given to families and individuals in need at Christmas time. This year over 40 hampers, weighing 12 kilos each, were distributed. Lyn and Barry assist Sue with the purchasing of the goods required, pack the bags and hampers, and help deliver them to CISS.

They are two very good people that help maintain essential services. I call them volunteers, the glue that helps bind our community together and keep our community together. They often do it in a very quintessentially Australian way: they are not looking for recognition. But I would like to recognise two groups of people in this place. I would like this House to note the service that they have given to their community.

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