Dave Sharma (Wentworth, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I echo the comments of the member for Macnamara in thanking teachers for the job they've done through this difficult time. I don't know Principal Peter Martin but I'm sure he's a fine teacher, as are many in his profession.

The last few months have been challenging for all of us. Our lives and livelihoods have been turned upside down. During these difficult periods it's very easy to forget that there are millions of Australians out there every day who, through their own ingenuity and resourcefulness, are making the best of a bad situation, and I want to highlight one of those in particular today: Kids Giving Back, a not-for-profit that operates in my electorate of Wentworth.

Under normal circumstances, Kids Giving Back organises meaningful volunteering opportunities for children between the ages of six and 18, but when COVID-19 broke out and social distancing restrictions were put in place Kids Giving Back, like many similar organisations, faced some difficult choices. As the CEO, Robyn Monro Miller, wrote to me: 'Kids Giving Back was faced with standing down staff during the COVID-19 shutdown. We could no longer offer face-to-face programs and there was no additional income to justify maintaining some staff positions.' Kids Giving Back was looking at standing down all five of its staff, in fact, but the introduction of JobKeeper changed all that. As Robyn, the CEO, wrote to me, 'As a result of JobKeeper being implemented, we were able to keep on all five staff in their roles and undertake a successful pivot to produce online sessions and generate some new volunteering initiatives.' Like it has for many organisations, JobKeeper provided the lifeline and safety net that this particular not-for-profit needed to continue to operate.

Kids Giving Back believe in having a triple impact. Their programs support the children involved, the vulnerable groups they work with and the community at large through the promotion of social cohesion. As a result of JobKeeper, Kids Giving Back launched a new initiative called 'Care to Give'. Under Care to Give, to date 121 families and their children, some 250 people in total, have helped prepare and distribute 230 care packs to deliver to vulnerable people in the area. The children involved also contributed cards and letters, building rich and valuable connections. The recipients of the care packs were thrilled to receive them. As the CEO, Robyn Monro Miller, told me: 'This was all possible because of JobKeeper. I hope you know how much we have appreciated the support of the government at this time.'

I want to congratulate Robyn Monro Miller, Nadine Ben-Mayor, Andi Smith, Thomas Skinner and Carole Schlessinger for their persistence and willingness to continue their great work in such trying circumstances. I also want to commend the hundreds of volunteers who have made this initiative so successful and the thousands of volunteers across Australia who've demonstrated similar resourcefulness during these difficult times. It's encouraging to see that throughout this crisis the community spirit that exists in our country has continued to thrive.

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