Ross Cadell (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week I had the great opportunity to travel around the seat of Calare with the member for Maranoa, David Littleproud. I saw lots of interesting things. We went to the small arms factory at Lithgow, saw a great engineering factory out at Blaney, and had a meeting with the anti-windfarm protesters in Oberon. Something that wasn't a headline event in my mind at the time, something that was recommended by members at a grassroots level, really struck me. I went to the Bowen Community Technology Centre. I didn't know what it was. Paul Townsend—if you are out there—thank you for all you do.

It was a small room on the side of the community hall. I went there to listen to their story. This place makes computers available for the really socioeconomically diverse and for the poorest people in the region around Orange. They do resumes, computer skills and educational programs for those who don't fit into the school system—Indigenous, non-Indigenous. They are world famous for their finder words and for the chocolate rewards afterwards. I saw the stars on the board and I walked in. What struck me was the story they told.

They're funded for some of the equipment they have—computers, those sorts of things and some infrastructure—but had no ongoing funding whatsoever, to the point where Paula—who, let's not be ageist but is closer to retirement than career starting—is looking at going back to work as a nurse to self-fund this place. It requires $50,000 a year and it is just not there. It got through on some funding from my good friend Ben Franklin—now president of the upper house—when he was a minister in New South Wales. But we need to keep the funding going because it stops the problems of people hitting the streets and doing the wrong thing. I have written to Dr Anne Aly and I'm writing to Linda Burney for $50,000 a year to keep people off the street and in jobs. I urge the government to have a look at this thing because it is people making a difference. (Time expired)