Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Barbara Parsons established Tuggeranong Charity Christmas Cards 14 years ago. When she arrived in Tuggeranong from South Africa she noticed that if you wanted to buy a charity Christmas card your only option in Canberra's south was to go to a local supermarket. And once you take out the supermarket retailer's chunk of the sale price, only 15c in the dollar actually went to the charity whose name was on the card. Tuggeranong Charity Christmas Cards, on the other hand, is an entirely 100 per cent volunteer-run organisation. It means every dollar you pay for their charity cards is a dollar that goes straight to supporting the charity itself.

Today, Barbara Parsons is in her 80s. She remains one of the coordinators of this year's charity Christmas card appeal, but the job has become exhausting. It means, unfortunately, sadly, that this is the final year of its operation. But the cause is as worthy of Canberra's support as ever. This year's cards are supporting Epilepsy ACT, ACT Rescue and Foster, the Cancer Council, Cystic Fibrosis ACT, Pegasus—a great organisation—Sharing Places, Frontier Services and Legacy ACT. I encourage all Canberrans to drop into the charity Christmas card sale, which is now based at the Erindale Uniting Church. While you are there, take a moment to say, 'Thank you, Barbara; thank you to the service you have given to our community, thank you to your team of volunteers for all that you have given to Canberra and charities.'