Kerry Rea (Bonner, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, the Minister for Ageing came to Bonner to recognise two prominent local residents, Mr Leonard Code and Mr Eric Grashuis, for their significant contribution to improving the lives of senior Australians. We presented both Mr Code and Mr Grashuis with a plaque during a visit to the Alzheimer’s Association of Queensland’s facility in Upper Mount Gravatt, known locally as Garden City. The community service award is presented by the Minister for Ageing to individuals who provide outstanding service to older Australians or to older Australians who provide outstanding community service. They may be community members, volunteers, carers, aged-care workers or administrators.

Len Code is the very well-known Secretary of the Waterloo Bay Leisure Centre. The Waterloo Bay Leisure Centre is a very special place in the bayside suburbs of the electorate of Bonner. The centre is staffed wholly by volunteers, who in turn raise the moneys required to enable the leisure centre to financially survive. It receives no federal, state or local government subsidies but offers a wide range of activities and entertainment to its members, with a particular emphasis on participation rather than observation. Members are encouraged to take part in art and craft courses and to involve themselves in indoor activities such as bowls, snooker, table tennis and line dancing. Bingo is also conducted on Thursday mornings. Meals on Wheels operates on a site adjacent to the leisure centre, and the Wynnum-Manly senior citizens club conduct their weekly meetings there. Major events are held throughout the year to fundraise for the centre.

Len Code is the clear and guiding secretary of that organisation. In fact, Len has been secretary of the leisure centre for 17 years. He believes the most rewarding thing, and the centre’s biggest achievement, is the art classes conducted by Clear Horizons—which, thanks to his volunteer work, have seen a significant growth in numbers and the centre become a thriving social network for Bonner’s older Australians. The centre’s members range in age from 50 to 94. Len is responsible for the running of the organisation—as I said, he has been for the last 17 years—and has seen the membership of the leisure centre grow to 400. That is a fantastic effort and a real indication of what a popular and engaging place the leisure centre is.

Mr Grashuis has been a volunteer at the Garden City facility run by the Alzheimer’s Association for the past five years. This facility is a very special place in the southern suburbs of the electorate of Bonner. It is a facility that caters particularly for Alzheimer’s sufferers. It offers both permanent and respite care. It has 41 ageing in-place beds. It has a special secure area within the hostel, with 14 beds, designated specifically for people suffering from dementia. It also has two permanent beds it offers as respite. All of us who know anyone who is caring for a family member or friend who suffers from Alzheimer’s know how important it is to have some form of respite to enable you to enjoy other things and to get the rest of your life in order. Mr Grashuis has been volunteering at this centre for the last five years, where he helps transport less mobile people to do their shopping and other activities.

I would like to put on record my thanks and the thanks of the people of the electorate of Bonner to these two very remarkable volunteers. We must always honour and respect the contribution of our elderly Australians and the role they have played in shaping our country. I am so pleased that we have such wonderful examples of elderly Australians in the electorate of Bonner, and I am so pleased that they have offered their volunteer hours to support other elderly Australians who unfortunately are not as capable or physically able as they are. I thank them on behalf of the electorate. I would like to put on record my congratulations to them and my thanks to the minister for recognising them through the community service awards. (Time expired)