Laurie Ferguson (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I associate myself with the comments of the member for Wright, who spoke previously. I was also present at that launch earlier this week. Coincidentally, last week I was at the Glenquarie Anglican Church property, where a Men's Shed opening occurred. That has been funded, to some degree, by the previous state government. It was pleasing to see on the premises Dr Andrew McDonald, who played a role in that. The Anglican Church in that suburb is particularly active and runs a number of other programs, such as a breakfast facility. In conjunction with TAFE, it also trains people in horticulture and cooking. Once again I say that I associate myself with the previous member's positive comments about Men's Sheds. On that front, I particularly recognise the Reverend Swanepoel, who in recent years has been the driving force in regard to those matters.

More importantly, today I talk about the Liverpool Neighbourhood Connections group. It stems from a foundation from 20 years ago, the Liverpool Neighbourhood Centre. At the recent relaunch of the Cumberland Newspapers in my region, I met the coordinator, Pat Hall. It is worth putting on the public record the efforts of that particular organisation. It currently runs 65 programs and employs 18 people. During our conversation, Pat Hall particularly thanked the federal government for the stimulus money that went into its operation and which has now allowed it to run far more classes, seminars and training sessions for our region.

In a sense, this centre works in three federal electorates, Hughes, Werriwa and Fowler, because the area of Liverpool City Council is spread between those electorates. Amongst the programs conducted in my electorate are the Right Side of Fifties seniors group, playgroups, the ROSES weight management group, Homework Help, and beginners TAFE outreach computer classes, all at the George Bates Hall in Lurnea. The other facility utilised in the federal electorate of Werriwa is the Casula community centre in Ingham Drive. The programs conducted there are tai chi, Active Over 50s, the Active Mums group and the Casula Seniors Group. Those suburbs are both somewhat distant from the major CBD of Liverpool. Despite reasonable public transport, it is very praiseworthy that the group is holding these operations at those particular centres. The group also runs a social enterprise coffee shop. It is particularly active around the socially deprived suburb of Warwick Farm. For those who are not familiar with it, that is where one of Sydney's major racecourses is. It is not in my electorate, but it is worth noting that they do very praiseworthy work in that particular suburb.

On the broader front—outside my electorate—they conduct a number of other programs. There is HeartSmart, for women in particular because of the high prevalence of death from heart disease in women. The Sydney South West Health Area conducts women's health clinics with them. They run transcultural counselling and, with the Salvation Army, counselling of a generalist nature. Lifeline is on the local front, working with financial counselling for the area, and a chiropractor is also available. So the 18 staff do indeed operate a variety of programs. Last year's figures indicate that over 23,000 people throughout the municipality of Liverpool were assisted.

I will briefly refer also to the decision of the ABC to scrap its bowls program. I have been in correspondence, as would have been many other members on both sides of parliament, in regard to this decision. There have been estimates that over 300,000 Australians watch this program every weekend and more watch at peak periods: in the area of 470,000 people watched the Moama International test series. A petition has been circulating amongst clubs. The demographic of those playing the game is over 60 years of age. Despite commercial challenges to some clubs, it is still a popular pastime. I know from personal discussions with people who do not even play bowls that this program is watched widely. I do not for a moment condemn the ABC's decision to switch to women's sport and to some other alternatives, but, quite frankly, I question its claim that its dollars cannot stretch to cover a sport with so much support in this country. I note Ingleburn Bowling Club's work on this issue. It was established in 1952 with 2,000 players. It is one of many clubs in this country that are very concerned with this decision by ABC management which should be revisited.