Ged Kearney (Cooper, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I'd like to tell you a love story. It's a story that started when two gorgeous birds fell in love—meet Kevin and Mabel. Kevin is a wild black swan that has lived at beautiful Edwardes Lake Park since 2017. He is a permanent fixture there now. But, sadly, he lost his mate to a dog attack in 2020. So we were all full of joy when Kevin met Mabel, another beautiful black swan who just happened to make the lake her home. Locals used to visit Kevin and Mabel to see how they were going, particularly during COVID-19 when our local parks were extra-special places of refuge from the lockdowns. The pair were tagged as part of a study by Melbourne university, and they had many little baby cygnets. But, tragically, we recently lost Mabel, and Kevin lost his mate. I can't tell you how devastated I was to hear this, like so many in our community who love to visit and see the pair and their babies enjoying the lake.

If you don't know this, swans are monogamous and mate for life. And now Kevin has lost not only his mate but his last adult black swan friend at that lake. Why did this tragedy happen? Well, we all love our furry friends, but it's been an ongoing issue in the parklands—that dogs are attacking wildlife, when they should be on leashes. I really encourage everyone in our community to adhere to the on-leash signs and use the designated off-leash area to keep all beautiful animals safe. I want to thank and acknowledge Kate Jost, the president of the Friends of Edwardes Lake, who came to Mabel's side and held her while she passed away. Cooper is home to so many who care for our environment and wildlife, and we're lucky to have them.

On another note, in my wonderful electorate of Cooper we have many, many people who have volunteered to help us with a 'yes' vote for the Voice. We have 386 volunteers having conversations all over Cooper.

I think you know that my electorate is named after the wonderful William Cooper, a First Nations advocate. He actually petitioned the King to ask for a voice to parliament—this was back in the last century—and the electorate of Cooper would be a very, very proud place indeed if we were to wake up the morning after the referendum to find that the country had indeed voted 'yes' to a voice to parliament, living up to the legacy of William Cooper's fight for recognition. This would be a great thing indeed. I'm very proud of the people of Cooper for their fight for a voice. And let's hope it is a 'yes' vote.