Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have just celebrated two important community milestones in the Wollondilly Shire. I was delighted to join residents for the reopening of the Picton-Thirlmere-Bargo RSL Hall—a bit of a mouthful, that. This is a bright new centre for veterans and for their families and also a venue for a wide range of local organisations. Under the extraordinary leadership of Tim Bennett-Smith, the RSL sub-branch has transformed a run-down building by constructing a new external awning and patio, a memorial garden, fencing, a new kitchen and a display area for historical items. Funding of this project was truly a joint community effort. Grants were provided by the federal government through Veterans' Affairs; by the state member for Wollondilly, Jai Rowell, through the New South Wales government's Community Building Partnership program; and by the Veolia Mulwaree Trust, a local philanthropic organisation which supports a wide range of worthy community projects, most of which are in the electorate of Hume. RSL state council president Rod White and Wollondilly Shire Council General Manager Luke Johnson spoke highly of the benefits this upgraded facility will bring to the local community. The hall is already well used by number of veterans groups, including the RSL sub-branch, the Legacy Widows Club, the RSL Ladies Auxiliary, veterans indoor bowlers and an RSL craft group. Noonameena Girl Guides, Tahmoor Lions Club, Tahmoor-Thirlmere Ex-services Club, the White Dove Church, Thirlmere Football Club and Thirlmere Primary School are some of the community groups also enjoying the space. Congratulations to everyone involved, especially sub-branch president Tim Bennett-Smith on his commitment to the community and to the memory of those who have served our country.

I was also delighted to meet up with the Prime Minister's wife, Mrs Margie Abbott, at a special lunch in Picton recently. Picton VIEW Club was marking its 50th birthday celebration. I congratulate the organising committee, who spent many months planning a very special tribute to the work of this group of women over the past half century. It was a pleasure to celebrate it along with VIEW's national vice president, Sue Field; Picton VIEW president Fay Cavenagh and her executive; and Picton Bowling Club chairman Bob Lang. The Picton branch of the VIEW Club has lived up to its charter of advocating 'the voice, interests and education of women'. Mrs Abbott spoke about the importance of fostering the development of children aged under five years and also told us about some of the charitable organisations she supports. There was some sadness on the day as members paid tribute to Anne Middleton, who passed away only days before the 50th celebrations. Mrs Middleton was the club's founding, inaugural president in 1955 and will be sadly missed by all members of the wider Picton community. It is the vital contribution of members of the local RSL sub-branch and the Picton VIEW Club which makes the Wollondilly Shire such a wonderful, warm community to be a part of.