Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently had the pleasure of attending a great community event called Straight Outta Beenleigh. The event was held at the Beenleigh Town Square and it brought together many local organisations, who were able to showcase the services they provide to our local community. As I visited this community event, it reminded me of the number of organisations in our community that contribute to making it such a terrific place to live, and the services that are provided that allow the community to be what it is.

But it also gave me the opportunity to reflect that it was almost exactly 12 months since I was joined by the Prime Minister to officially open the Beenleigh Town Square. The project has transformed how the town of Beenleigh now functions. It replaced a six-way roundabout with what is now a friendly and open community facility which markets and other community groups can regularly use for public events. We have seen over the past 12 months a number of festivals and functions. There are now breakfast markets that we can go and enjoy on a Sunday morning, with some great coffee and some great food. And the Straight Outta Beenleigh event was just another in the long list of terrific community events that are now able to be held in Beenleigh.

One of the great things about the Beenleigh Town Square project was that it involved all three levels of government, and it shows the value of what the three levels of government working together can achieve in boosting our local economy. It has created new tourism opportunities, it has created jobs, and it has transformed, as I have said, the centre of Beenleigh.

I would like to congratulate the Beenleigh District Community Development Association for putting on the Straight Outta Beenleigh event and for bringing together the local organisations and entertainment for a tremendously successful community day. I would also like to mention some of the groups who got involved and thank them for their contribution and commitment to our local community. Beenleigh as a region has a history of nearly 150 years, and that 150 years of history has created a community that is extremely civic-minded and has people who are prepared to contribute through numerous community organisations. The Beenleigh Town Square, as an area where the community can gather and celebrate what it is to live in and around Beenleigh, is a terrific addition to our community, and I would like to thank everybody involved in the organisation of the event.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Vocational Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 11:02