Page 3225 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 18 October 2022
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their GP or another place of interest in their community, and make sure that they retain those connections to the community.
There is a range of different measures underway in terms of public transport and in terms of community path accessibility. We are looking forward to finalising very soon both the active travel plan and the feasibility work on on-demand transit. I commend Minister Davidson’s amendment to Ms Lawder’s motion.
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (3.28): I thank Ms Lawder for bringing this important motion before the Assembly. I wish to speak in support of Ms Lawder’s motion and highlight an organisation that has both taken it upon themselves to recognise the International Day of Older Persons and would greatly benefit from the accelerated replacement and repair of footpaths.
To recognise the International Day of Older Persons, the organisers of the Umbagong parkrun dedicated the first event of the month to older persons. They went to great efforts to emphasise that people of all ages were welcome and that, although the event is called a “parkrun”, anyone attending was welcome to “parkwalk” and set their own pace. This sort of inclusivity should be applauded, and I thank the volunteers who take the time out of their weekends to facilitate it.
I have been touched by the stories I have heard of older persons who have found great meaning and social value from attending this parkrun. Attendance at the parkwalk on 1 October was over 130 people—one of their highest attendances since they started in July this year. I imagine their efforts to promote the parkwalk to older persons had something to do with the spike in attendance that week.
Unfortunately, this group has to deal with the mud and broken areas of footpath that are all through the park. They and all other users of the park, such as Waterwatch, the Ginninderra Catchment Group, Friends of Umbagong and surrounding residents would greatly benefit from Ms Lawder’s suggestion in her motion to accelerate the replacement and repair of footpaths.
Another group that I would like to give a shout-out to is the Belconnen Community Men’s Shed. I have previously spoken about this group and praised the part that they play in providing social connections and meaningful activities to men of all ages, and particularly to older persons and retirees who may otherwise lack a social outlet.
I echo Ms Lawder’s call for the Assembly to write to the federal government in support of a UN convention on the rights of older persons. Such a convention could only serve to strengthen the rights, protections and freedoms of older people, to whom we owe so much of our current rights, protections and freedoms. I commend Ms Lawder’s motion to the Assembly.
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (3.31): I would like to thank all members for their contributions today. There were many useful points in everyone’s contribution to the debate.
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