Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2020 nearly 4.9 million adults in New South Wales volunteered their time. The value of the 1.5 billion hours they volunteered is worth $127 billion to our state—what a staggering amount, what a stupendous effort. This month I joined the New South Wales Centre for Volunteering online to celebrate our most distinguished volunteers in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. Kevin Stokes, who was named Hunter Volunteer of the Year, is a founding member of the award-winning Hunter Region Botanic Gardens and has been volunteering there for 36 years. I come from a long line of gardeners and love the Hunter Valley gardens and I believe that Kevin is just astonishing. Thank you, Kevin, for your efforts. Hayley Johns, who is Maitland's Youth Ambassador, was named Hunter Young Volunteer of the Year for her volunteering with the National Rural Student Network, St John's Ambulance at Maitland, the SES and the Lake Macquarie Youth Advisory Community. Leanne Pitt-Barile, of Black Hill, the New South Wales team leader of national charity Share the Dignity was also awarded—congratulations.