Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to update the House on a situation I raised last week with the procurement of Australian passport paper. The Shoalhaven Paper Mill in my electorate of Gilmore is the sole Australian manufacturer of security paper used in documents like Australian passports and Reserve Bank bonds. This secure paper manufacturing industry supports almost 100 jobs in my region, and it is an enterprise worthy of advocacy and promotion. The security products we make in Gilmore are world class, and the quality at each stage of the manufacturing process is truly impressive. Our people have unique and high-level skills.

Recently I signed the Australian paper and pulp pledge, committing to use only Australian-made paper and paper products in my electorate office wherever possible. I would like to place on record my appreciation of Karen Cole, Jack Evans and Paul Ryan of the Shoalhaven Paper Mill for bringing this issue to my attention in the first instance. At that meeting with the paper mill employees, I promised to organise discussions with the senior federal ministers to seek assurances that the future of passport paper production would remain local, and to ensure that Australian made paper remains government's only paper of choice.

On the issue of passports, I must report to the House that I have excellent news. I have been working with the minister and discussing the issues with her. This morning I received correspondence from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, and I would like to read from that letter: 'Since your meeting I am pleased to confirm that the government's passport booklet supplier, Note Printing Australia, which has a contract with Shoalhaven Paper Mill to provide secure paper for passports, will continue to source passport paper from the Shoalhaven Paper Mill. … The demand for passports continues to rise. It is forecast that there will be an increase in demand of nearly seven per cent in the next financial year 2014-15.' It is an honour to have been able to negotiate on behalf of the over one hundred Gilmore residents that rely on this manufacturing plant.

I would like now to go to another good news story in my electorate: the awarding of a $250,000 grant to Regional Development Australia Far South Coast, in order to continue the South Coast Youth Volunteering Initiative and the Shoalhaven Youth Volunteering Initiative, an amazing set of programs that encourage young people from Nowra to Bega to get involved in their local communities, through service organisations like the RFS, SES and Surf Life Saving. This inspiring initiative takes students from across the region and introduces them to everyday community volunteering opportunities.

This program has made an especially huge difference for one school in particular. RDA Far South Coast last year was able to take more than 25 students from this school alone and teach them firefighting skills, helping them to become nationally accredited volunteer firefighters. I would like to read to the House an excerpt from one of our local papers, the South Coast Register, of 17 March, reporting on just how successful this program is in our region:

INSPIRED by the excitement of hands on experience with the Rural Fire Service, two students from Shoalhaven High School have become fire-fighting volunteers at Callala Bay.

After completing their training last year with the Regional Development Australia program known as the Shoalhaven Youth Volunteer Initiative, the year 11 students Brett Thomas and Kerry Redshaw said they were just happy to be doing something for their community.

…   …   …

Shoalhaven Youth Volunteer Initiative co-ordinator Alan Mulley said the course was conducted in partnership with the Far South Coast Rural Fire Service in 2001.

He said since that time more than 2000 students had been trained by emergency service agencies such as the Rural Fire Brigade.

"It is a five-day course and the students go to South Nowra where they fulfil theoretical and practical training," Mr Mulley said.

"The students learn the value of volunteering and gain knowledge which contributes to their resume.

"Many of the students we train go on to become volunteers."

More than 50 per cent of our current RFS membership and SES volunteers throughout Gilmore have begun their volunteering in this way, which has significantly decreased the average age of these organisations.

This week especially has seen the benefit of this local and successful initiative. With severe wind damage throughout Gilmore, particularly in the Shoalhaven, these well-trained volunteers have been part of the clean-up crews.

Gilmore has many wonderful beaches, and we need members for 11 Surf Life Saving clubs. Our beaches are now safer because of these wonderful volunteers giving their time.

I need to honour these volunteers who have come through the school program and then joined their community organisations to give of their time, their service and their energy. They are truly to be commended for all the work they do. This is simply an outstanding community investment.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 11:29.