John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to talk about the incredible, dedicated volunteers who live and work in Bennelong. Volunteers, while often unseen, form a backbone of our society. They care for people who have been left behind or they give school students that little extra experience to equip them for the world. Everywhere we look, there are people giving their time to make the world that little bit better, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all.

I have already spoken this year about some of our great local volunteers who received awards in the Australia Day honours. Time prevented me from mentioning them all, but I can do so now. Chantal Marie Claudine Denis was awarded an OAM for her incredible record of volunteering with the Wayside Chapel. She is the longest-serving volunteer at this remarkable charity, having been helping out there for 32 years. By all accounts she is an incredible, tireless and selfless helper, and this award could not have gone to a more deserving person. Gregory Norman Hammond, a director at Opportunity International Australia, has also been awarded an OAM. Aside from the benevolent work he does professionally to provide aid and improve living standards around the world, Greg also generously gives his time to many other worthy causes, especially within the Anglican Church.

Bennelong is also home to dozens of inspirational groups who help improve our community and the livelihood of those within it. Rotary clubs, Lions, Leos, RSLs and countless others are tireless in their support for our local community and ensure that it remains a home with a heart and a soul. Their achievements are far too numerous to mention here, but they should all know that our local area stands in awe of their dedication and we thank them all.

I would particularly like to highlight two charities that are indispensable in their care for local residents. Christian Community Aid is an organisation based in Eastwood which cares for hundreds of people across our region. Celebrating a remarkable 50 years in 2015, they provide a huge range of services to help everyone across the community. Vitally, they also cater to the many ethnicities which we have in Bennelong, and in Eastwood especially. They provide English courses. But, perhaps more importantly, they provide a considerable amount of advice to people with limited English who have recently moved to Sydney and may be struggling to navigate its many systems. This service is vital. These groups are able to contribute to the whole community, which makes our corner of Sydney so diverse and exciting and makes it work just a little better. Heather Pinto and her team do incredible work for our area, and I thank them wholeheartedly.

The other charity I would like to mention is the North Ryde Community Aid and Information Centre. In particular, I would like to focus on their hamper appeal, a mammoth undertaking which I have been honoured to be part of every year since I became an MP. The indefatigable executive officer, Helen Crouch, and her fantastic team at North Ryde work tirelessly to ensure that no local family feels left out at Christmas time. Dozens of volunteers help pack and distribute the hampers across two days. This included many selfless volunteers from local companies and organisations, including Optus, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gumnut Cottage and Downsizing With Ease. This was the 15th consecutive year that the North Ryde Community Aid and Information Centre has generously donated hampers, and in 2015 nearly 400 local residents were reached. They included the elderly, the infirm, the forgotten, the socially isolated and the financially disadvantaged.

Finally, I would be remiss not to thank the large body of volunteers who help get us to this place. Like most politicians, I am reliant on an army of local volunteers to help with my re-election and campaigning, and I think I have got the best team in the country. They might not think they have got the best representative. I held a barbecue last weekend to say thank you, and around 200 people showed up, all wonderfully committed to the Liberal cause for good government and ready to do their bit this year. I thank them all and look forward to the exciting months ahead. In particular, I would like to thank Mr Hugh Lee, who has been a good friend and supporter for many years, and I look forward to working with him well into the future.

To all the volunteers across Bennelong and the wider community, I would like to say thank you. You are incredible people, and the community would be less without your determination and selflessness.

Question agreed to.

House adjourned at 16:59