Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before Australia Day, I visited the Faulkner Park Retirement Estate in the suburb of Cloverdale in the electorate of Swan. My wife, Cheryle, is in the chamber today with her brother, Robin Street, for his first visit to parliament, so welcome to parliament, Robin. I hope you enjoy your time here. Cheryle and I joined the Faulkner Park residents for their regular Wednesday morning tea to catch up with everyone. We got to take part in Ray's birthday celebrations and I was very proud to present the park with a new Australian flag that they could fly proudly the following week on our national day, Australia Day, and what a day of celebration it was. Throughout the morning we shared stories. One resident told me he remembered kangaroos hopping around on the land upon which Faulkner Park now sits. We also chatted about a range of matters that were important to residents. A regular theme was the need for shelter at their local bus stop along Belmont Avenue when heading towards the city. The residents explained the difficulty they had in coping with the elements, with the harsh heat of the Perth summers and the wind and rain during winters. A shelter would help many of the residents feel comfortable in taking a bus into the city and to their local shops during such weather.

Another item they raised was the need for a crosswalk from the Belmont Forum to the new Belmont Community Centre to ensure they could walk safely between the two. Mr Deputy Speaker, you would be interested to know that last year the coalition government invested $9.675 million into the Belmont Community Centre, which will include a library, a museum and a senior citizens' centre, plus office space for local charities and NGOs to operate in for free. Although construction is in the early stages, I've written to the City of Belmont on behalf of residents to request that the plan for the crossing be included in the overall project. I've also raised the prospect of a bus shelter with the council's CEO in the hope that we are able to make small improvements which will greatly assist the residents of Faulkner Park.

After the visit I was able to provide the residents with copies of the application form for a photo card for older Australians who no longer carry a driver's licence or a passport but still require a form of identification. The photo card is vital for them for identity purposes and is available through the Western Australian Department of Transport. It looks exactly the same as a licence and holds the same number of identification points. It is an ideal form of ID for our older Australians.

I thank the managers of the park for their assistance in organising the visit, Ken and Margaret Durnin. Ken is the social president at the park and facilitated a Q&A for residents. A big thank you also goes to Audrey, Beryl, Laurine and the other residents who made Cheryle and me so welcome on the day. We had a wonderful time with them all and we look forward to catching up with them again soon. And, Bill, enjoy your time in parliament.