Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this morning to pay tribute to two local community leaders and local community groups. I will speak first about a local Montrose resident from the electorate of Casey, Mr David Ferres, who owns a newsagent in Croydon, also in the electorate, who is making a wonderful contribution to East Timor. A bike tour of East Timor prompted him to start raising money for that impoverished nation. He has been selling raffle tickets at his newsagency and raising money as best he can with other local residents, like Lois Scullion, whom I know well, with the aim of building a new school for almost 700 students in the community of Groto. As I said, he was inspired to help after visiting the country recently. As he said in the local paper:

I was in East Timor supporting my son, who was competing in an international bike race called the Tour de Timor. On the plane back, I was seated next to a doctor who was working with the people there. He inspired me to think about what I could do in my backyard in Melbourne.

He has raised $6,000 already, with the aim of raising $10,000. He is building great community spirit and getting a lot of support for this important initiative. It is a reminder of the important role that individuals and local communities, as well as government, play. I pay tribute to him for the work that he is doing.

This morning I also would like to pay tribute to the Montrose community, in particular the Montrose Township Group. Its coordinator, Julie McDonald, and the team at Montrose have done so much work to transform an alleyway once covered in graffiti to an alleyway now covered in local artwork. There are 12 panels depicting the history of Montrose. This has been a real community effort, as it is always in Montrose. Volunteer artists and students from Billanook Primary School and Montrose Primary School have produced the 12 panels. I would like to mention some of the artists in the brief time available: Janice Anne, Jeanette Dodson, Justine Indigo-Rose and Janet Wilson. They are some of the artists who put in a lot of time. I want to pay tribute to the Shire of Yarra Ranges and Julie McDonald and her team in the Montrose community. (Time expired)