Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Wheelchairs for Kids is a charitable organisation which is doing remarkable work in the manufacturing and distributing of wheelchairs for needy children in developing countries around the world. They are supported by Rotary, the Christian Brothers and private donors. Approximately 340 wheelchairs are produced every month, which is approximately 3,550 per year or more than 42,307 since its establishment 20 years ago in 1998. The wheelchairs are locally designed, specifically to conform to World Health Organization guidelines. They are built specifically for rough terrain and are adjustable to a child's size, with postural supports, a headrest, a harness, a waterproof cushion, a tray and a toolkit, as well as a knee rug and a knitted toy. For every $200 donated in support of the Wheelchairs for Kids program, a child gains a new wheelchair, giving him or her this new experience of freedom of mobility for the first time in their life.

On behalf of the Australian parliament, I commend the work of more than 220 volunteers, led by Gordon Hudson, Brother Olly Pickett, Trevor Canning and Bob Sheridan. They regularly give up their time, putting in hundreds of hours to build and distribute wheelchairs. I advocate for the federal government to provide recurrent funding grants to support the operation of this very worthy charitable organisation.

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