Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to say thank you to the New Farm Neighbourhood Centre and other associated groups for their organisation of the New Farm Recovers Festival last Sunday.

At the weekend we saw an array of businesses, organisations and associated groups coming together to share their stories about the flooding that devastated New Farm and also to plan for the future. It is wonderful that the centre is leading the way in community assistance—and now community recovery and planning—through the Under 1 Roof report A Silver lining: community development, crisis and belonging, which was launched at the event.

Sunday was a very important day for children to come together to play. There was a bike race around the magnificent rose gardens of New Farm Park and there were African drums, all organised by the centre. I want to pay tribute to the president, Michael Drummond and senior service manager, Fiona Hunt.

It was also wonderful to hear the New Farm State School and the Holy Spirit School lift our spirits through their choir. As they say, music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. Principals Virginia O’Neil and Nick Gallan should be very happy that the children did indeed help to wash away from our souls not the dust but the remnants of the biggest flood for over 30 years.

I want to acknowledge the businesses in the area that made it possible: Price Attack, Coles New Farm, Brisbane City Council, Brisbane Powerhouse, Feral Arts, New Farm Bikes, Merlo Coffee, Black Pearl Epicure, All About Fruit, Di Bella Coffee, Oblong Designers, Village News, Bonjour Patisserie, Zanda Adrian-Walla, Cakes Around Town, The Workstation and Teneriffe Realty. (Time expired)