Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The week is Country Women's Association Awareness Week. As a member of the CWA, I had the pleasure of attending a meeting in Yanco recently. Yanco is a small village in the Leeton local government area, with a population of just 948. The Yanco CWA has been part of the fabric of that community for over 80 years. What struck me immediately was the passion and enthusiasm of this dedicated band of country women, embodying the spirit and tenacity of rural women everywhere. After a recruitment drive, they have almost doubled their numbers. They now have 24 members and have aims to attract many more. The group have some big plans for the future. One of the most important is to continue with the grassroots aims of the CWA—to provide an avenue for the Yanco community to connect with each other. The benefits of such get-togethers are, of course, social inclusion and interaction, better mental health and general community happiness. The next big event will be a lavish afternoon tea on 23 September. While creating a network of support and those famous afternoon teas is what the CWA are famous for, they do so much more. They make an immeasurable contribution to our rural communities as advocates and lobbyists to improve the lives of women and children, especially those in country areas. I'm going to help this group with a new dunny—their outdoor facilities are not up to scratch. I congratulate them and wish them all the best for the future.