Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the pleasure of spending time with two of our great local Meals on Wheels volunteers. The Australian spirit of generosity and helping each other is often talked about, but there is no better example than the volunteers who run our local Meals on Wheels. On Wednesday it was National Meals on Wheels Day. I spent time on the delivery run in the Centenary Suburbs with local champions Maree and Greg Franklin. The following day, I was able to get a firsthand insight into the Woogaroo Meals on Wheels service, run out of Redbank, with local legend, driver Diane. These volunteers make sure that the motto 'more than just a meal' rings true. I congratulate Meals on Wheels for all their fantastic work and the two million meals they have delivered for people in Queensland this year.

But it's not all good news. I've also been informed about the inequities in government funding that sees Meals on Wheels in states and territories outside of Queensland receive up to three times as much funding. The inequitable funding is also failing to keep pace with inflation, meaning services are being slowly diminished. Meals on Wheels in Queensland represents 130 independently run local services that operate in virtually every community. These services and the volunteers who run them are an essential part of ensuring seniors, pensioners and vulnerable Australians are provided with daily in-home visits, nutritious meals and welfare checks. I call on the government to support the tremendous work of Meals on Wheels in Queensland so we can see them continue to provide this vital service well into the future.