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

This year, community based organisation The Junction Works celebrates 25 years of service to south-west Sydney. During that time it has made various steps, various moves up the ladder. In 1992 it had its first grant, in 1995 it started a disability day program and in 1999 it started a children's service. In late November I was pleased to attend, with my colleague the state member Dr Andrew McDonald and the New South Wales minister John Ajaka, the establishment of a modern service hub in Thirteenth Avenue, Austral. It is a great accomplishment that The Junction Works has managed to reach this stage, with this building, and it is on the verge of further construction next year, with a community garden.

I want to particularly recognise some of the drivers of this organisation: Chris Campbell, the chief executive; and Helen Lyons, a person with 25 years experience in the New South Wales public service in strategic and operational leadership. Jean Kittson is the patron of the organisation. Typical of the culture there is that the accountant, although she now lives in Queensland, still fulfils the role of treasurer for this organisation and comes down for meetings. I was also impressed with the effort of Michael Pangallo, who is one of the clients of this disability organisation, who spoke on the day. He has had 13 years of connection with the organisation. That he, his mother and the local priest were there for the day meant so much to their family and was a recognition of the commitment of this organisation.

In recent years the organisation have diversified with regard to their funding and organisational effort. Last year, the revenue was $6.8 million, comprising $6 million in government funding and grants, $400,000-plus in attendance and fees, and interest and investment income amounting to $262,000. They run a variety of programs. The main area in which I have interface with them is the catering service that disability clients there operate in our area. We have had a number of open days with regard to NBN and Telstra delivery in our region, and each day we have used them as the catering service. We have also used them as the catering service for various awards that we have run in the community. I am not just saying this—it is not a matter of kindness or condescension—but they deliver a service that is very good. They have new kitchens and the way in which they deliver the service is very commendable.

The organisation are very much client based. They have the concept My Journey, My Way, which enables the people they support in the community day care program to realise their own goals, work towards greater independence and develop their own interests. It was clear in Michael's speech that this is very much central to the way this organisation in south-west Sydney runs. It is not only in my electorate. Russell Matheson and Chris Hayes's electorates are amongst other areas that are served. We are talking about 365 clients. We are talking about support for 10,000 local residents. We are talking about eight home based projects and a plethora of operations in teaching, training, performance and catering. Amongst the programs they run is Well Being, a holistic health and wellbeing initiative for adults and young people with disability in the south-west. WorkOut, which is funded under the Well Being program, is an exercise and fitness package for adults with disability. Junk Free June is a fundraising measure that they operate. They have also engaged Holsworthy High School, which I think is in Craig Kelly's electorate, to help out with their SPARK Creative Arts Festival for people with a disability. It is over three days, and three enthusiastic 15- and 16-year-olds assist festival participants to maximise their festival experience.

The catering crew—going back to that for the moment—have catered for the Fields Community Lunches, another good operation for the community in my electorate, where people who are not connected with others or may be a bit lonely or financially deprived can come in and have lunch. The Charity Golf Challenge and International Women's Day events are other things that this organisation undertakes. I want to recognise Chris and Helen. I want to recognise the committee, the workers, the volunteers and the significant number of volunteering days that go into this group. They are a lead organisation in disability service delivery in south-west Sydney and they are to be commended on opening their new offices.