Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Late last year I was extremely pleased to be part of a government that put their money where their mouth is in terms of supporting our local defence families through a number of grants for community support organisations. Our diggers make a huge sacrifice in the defence of our nation so that we at home can feel safe. I think it is only fair that we look out for their families and do all we can to include them in the community.

I'm quite proud of two groups here in my local area that will benefit from this important government initiative. The Jerrabomberra Playgroup will receive $14,299 to support newly posted defence families in the area to connect to the local community. The Gungahlin Defence Families Playgroup will receive $4,940 to facilitate events and activities and to provide a support network for defence families in Gungahlin. Funding from these grants will allow recipients to assist defence families to engage with their local communities, promote personal growth and resilience, and support child and youth development. These grants will also create opportunities for defence families to form new friendships and networks, share information and ideas, and help them manage the demands of military life, such as frequent postings and deployments to new locations every two or three years.

Our coalition federal government has once again walked the talk, so to speak, with over $640 million in grant funding announced by our Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, in December last year. The National Health and Medical Research Council have backed our world-leading medical researchers and scientists in a show of support for their work towards making the next major medical breakthrough. Our government is committed to building the world's best health system in Australia. Health and medical research plays a critical role in achieving this. Researchers supported by these grants will help address key national health priorities and support Australians who live with disease. Our Australian National University here in the ACT has demonstrated its dedication to health and medical research, and these grants reflect the high quality and diversity of this endeavour in Australia today. Some of the projects funded include research by Dr Si Ming Man into DNA sensing in certain types of cancer; by Associate Professor Philip Batterham on increasing engagement for online psychological programs for improving mental health; and by Professor Emily Banks for gathering large-scale data to help understand outcomes for cancer survivors.

As many of you would be well aware, as senators and members of parliament we are afforded the special privilege of facilitating significant anniversary and birthday messages from Her Majesty The Queen, the Governor-General and the Prime Minister. To live a long life or sustain a strong, long marriage is no small achievement, and it's right that we do all we can to honour and celebrate those Australians who have contributed so much to our nation. I want to take the opportunity tonight to recognise here in the Senate chamber some of the local Canberrans I have had the privilege of honouring on their particular anniversary or birthday. I trust you will all be just as encouraged as I was when I first heard their stories.

Nemesio and Hilaria Amoyen from Kaleen celebrated 50 years of marriage on 6 January this year. Their daughter, Annie-Marie Munoz, contacted me as a surprise and had this to say:

I'm sure each couple who make it to 50 years of marriage have many stories to tell. I'm particularly proud of my parent's story as it signifies patience and faith. Like many migrants who were professionals in their country of origin, my parents came to Australia for a better life but had to get whatever job they could get to look after their family. My dad was a chief investigator in the Philippine National Bank (a prestigious position) and took on a job as a baker for puffin donuts to make ends meet in Canberra. Relatives in the Philippines gossiped and looked down on him as he went from a white collar job to a blue collar job. He eventually won a job in the public service in the accounting section of the AGPS. My mum too had her trials. She almost died when I was born due do postpartum haemorrhage and a few years ago she was diagnosed with tongue cancer (which she overcame). She was then diagnosed with thyroid cancer and again almost died post-surgery due to complications the day she was being discharged from hospital.

Some others who have celebrated milestones recently are Les and Anne Lyons from Ngunnawal, who celebrated 50 years of marriage; Noel and Rewa Bate from Coombs, who celebrated 60 years of marriage; Lucian and Elizabeth Bobruk from Fraser, who celebrated 50 years of marriage in December; Trevor and Carol Smith from Holder, who celebrated 50 years of marriage in December; Amelia Hausia from Evatt, who celebrated her 95th birthday on 3 December; and Mrs Dorothy Nunn from Bruce, who celebrated an incredible 100th birthday on 25 January this year.