Page119 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 2 December 2020
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gained from involvement in team sport. Wizards will use the grant to travel to regional tournaments and to attend next year’s national tournament.
The final winner of those three awards was Tim Miller—again, his is a name that is familiar to many—who was recently announced as the ACT Local Hero for the Australian of the Year Awards and will go on to represent us at the national awards in January. It was not that long ago that Tim realised that the plastic lids on drink containers could not be recycled, but he was determined to save them from landfill. From his bed—and with a mobile phone in hand, as he likes to say—Tim has created a nationwide volunteer project that saves millions of plastic lids from landfill and raises money for children through Lids4Kids Australia. Over 10 million lids have been rescued and over 22 tonnes of plastic have been saved from landfill. But there are also enormous social benefits for volunteers, who sort, wash and transport the lids and learn what the different plastic symbols mean—an important skill no matter your age or background.
I was very pleased to visit the Canberra Environment Centre just recently while Tim was conducting a workshop with volunteers to get that important work done. Lids4Kids will buy a granulator to shred lids, enabling the volunteers to make plastic products that directly benefit local children and children around Australia. We are lucky to have extraordinary Canberrans in our community, and I am glad to see their efforts so publicly recognised.
World AIDS Day
Schools Sustainability Awards
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Families and Community Services and Minister for Health) (4.37): I want to speak very briefly to acknowledge that yesterday, Tuesday, 1 December, was World AIDS Day. I want to thank Meridian for hosting a very insightful, interesting morning tea on Sunday to mark World AIDS Day.
The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is “Now, More Than Ever”. Meridian’s media release says:
HIV can affect anyone. HIV does not discriminate. There is no vaccine or cure for HIV, however there are highly effective treatments. Community support is paramount.
World AIDS Day aims to encourage Australians to educate themselves and others about HIV; to take action to reduce the transmission of HIV by promoting prevention strategies; and to ensure that people living with HIV can participate fully in the life of the community, free from stigma and discrimination.
There were two powerful speeches at the World AIDS Day morning tea. As well, the wonderful choir entertained us with their music and singing. Jacob White spoke powerfully of his own experience as a person with HIV who, as he describes it, had his second coming-out a couple of years ago on World AIDS Day. He has a very clear, powerful story to tell in relation to his experiences. I am so proud—“proud” is not the right word; I do not have a right to be proud of Jacob—or, more correctly, so pleased
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