Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a well-documented fact that participating in the community and connecting with others is essential for good health and wellbeing. This Saturday, 29 March, the inaugural Connect and Participate Expo will be held at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston in my electorate of Canberra, to help Canberrans connect with their community.

The expo has been specifically designed to be inclusive of people with disability, which we know can often be a barrier to social inclusion. The expo is an opportunity for people of all abilities to connect with the Canberra community organisations, to meet new people and to try new things.

The expo will do the work for people who would like to know more about getting involved in the community and getting started on a plan to participate and connect with others. For the first time at one location there will be over 70 groups represented from sport and recreational areas, arts and crafts, music, leisure, cultural activities, performing arts, hobbies and special interest groups.

Most importantly, Canberrans wanting to learn more about the National Disability Insurance Scheme should attend the expo as there will be information booths and experts on hand to talk about the NDIS and what it means for the ACT.

The ACT is trialling the NDIS. To echo the words of the member for Bendigo, 'It is vitally important for all Australians that the Abbott government rolls it out across Australia'.