Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very proud to speak about one of the truly great regional organisations, the Country Women's Association. Two years after the CWA formed in New South Wales and Queensland, the first branch was established in WA. It was formed to improve the welfare and conditions of people living in the country, to foster friendship and to understand and encourage cooperation and community effort. The association has been home to many great stories over its 93-year history, and it has fostered thousands of lifetime friendships. It is women getting together to support each other, their families and their local communities.

Service to the country is one of the CWA's core objectives, and, in 2016, after bushfires, they raised nearly $70,000 for towns such as Yarloop in my electorate. The CWA raises money for motor neurone disease as well.

We've got branches in the South West, including Augusta, Bunbury, Burekup, Busselton, Capel, Eaton, Leschenault, Margaret River, Nannup, Rosa Brook and Rosa Glen—over 390 members in my South West. They work so hard for their communities. They are renowned as top cooks, and anybody who has the CWA cookbook knows what a legendary book that is and how it supports so many good chefs. I commend the amazing work of the thousands of women who make up the CWA—every member.