Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am constantly amazed by the volunteers and organisations in my electorate. One of those is the Coffs Harbour Men's Resource Centre run by Bridging the Gap Community Services, which is operated entirely by volunteers and community donations. The men they see are socially or financially disadvantaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and men suffering from relationship breakdowns, and they receive absolutely no government funding, which I hope to change in the future. The CEO is Jean Clayton, who started the service 15 years ago. Jean, you are doing a wonderful job, a fantastic job, and I can't thank you enough. The service is run out of a beautiful home in Coffs Harbour CBD, through the generosity of local business owners Bruce Hibbard and his partner, Bronwyn Stephens. Bruce has been a builder in Coffs Harbour for over 40 years. Through their generosity, they allow Bridging the Gap Community Services to operate from a house that they've donated because they believe it will benefit not only the men but also the community. The afternoon that I was there they put on a beautiful lunch. We sat in the backyard and looked at the veggies that they were growing. It was a relaxing home and provided dignity for the men who went there. I can't thank them enough and I will continue to support them in the future.