Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nice words at the end of the member for Jagajaga's speech there. My daughter, Georgina, who's from Melbourne and a schoolteacher—we thank them all, particularly our teachers, who were at the front line teaching kids via telepresence. It's very difficult, so I understand, and I concur with those final few remarks by the member opposite.

I recently visited Lockhart, a town in my area, a fantastic little community that was originally known as Greens Gunyah. It kept its verandahs in its main street, Green Street, when every other town was ripping theirs out. It's now known as the 'verandah town'. I urge and encourage people to visit Lockhart. It has been the recipient of a few grants recently. I was there to speak with the mayor, Roger Schumer, and others about the grants and they were very, very pleased. One of them was Valmar Support Services, which has a place in the main street. They welcome people with disabilities and employ a number of people but they are growing, as the NDIS is even further rolled out. Valmar originally started in Tumut. It is even in Canberra now. For 50 years it has been providing important disability services for people, the most vulnerable people in our community. Certainly, right around the Riverina, we very much appreciate what they do. They're going to get solar panels on the roof of the valuable support network in Green Street, the main street of Lockhart.

The mighty Lockhart Football Netball Club last won a first grade football premiership in 2003, prior to that, 1982, so it will have been a few years between drinks since they joined the Hume league in 1982. The club received a Building Better Regions Fund in the order of $200,000 with which it is going to provide a new community hub. It already has a great industrial kitchen and previously received netball courts, courtesy of the federal government. This community hub is going to be so important. The football netball club is not just a sports club; it's an area where people from right throughout the community will come to celebrate various personal events such as weddings—indeed, even wakes. Whatever the case might be, they will now have a facility which will be second to none in the region and they're very much looking forward to that. Of course, the Lockhart Shire is also putting money towards it.

I know that the New South Wales state coalition government has as well put money into the shire. I want to give a special shout-out to the long-serving mayor, Roger Schumer. He has been a fantastic mayor. He's retiring at the 4 December elections. I wish him all the very best in his future endeavours. I know that he's still going to be a great community voice. Lockhart is one of those go-ahead communities which would, but for the regional funding we're providing, be much the poorer. I commend the Lockhart Shire for getting behind the community and for being its best self.