Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to welcome to Parliament House the board and staff of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal. Established by the government in 2000, FRRR, as it is fondly known, has 15 years of grant making, enabling and building capacity, influencing and sharing best practice for philanthropy, and, principally, providing leadership. They have already delivered over $51 million in grants, and last year they gave $6.4 million in over 750 projects.

I am proud that three of these are in Indi: Ease into Access, the Benalla Aquatic Centre; Rehydration Station Benalla, the Rotary Club of Benalla; and the Last Pioneer, Harrietville Dredge Hole Recreation Reserve. Thanks, FRRR, for the work that you do. I had the pleasure last night of meeting with the chair, the Hon. Ian Sinclair; Ian Allen and Annie Grindrod, from my electorate of Indi; and the CEO, Alex Gartmann.

We had a wide-ranging discussion on the role of philanthropy, and I am proud to report that, in Indi, philanthropy is going well. We have at least seven community foundations who work to build community. I would especially like to mention two philanthropic trusts that were established after the 2009 bushfires: the Into Our Hands Foundation and the Greater Triangle. Congratulations on all the work you do. Thanks to all the volunteers, and may philanthropy long continue to grow in Indi.