Page 1236 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Tourism and Events and Minister for Community Services) (5.42): I thank Mr Gentleman for bringing forward this motion this afternoon. It recognises the important role that men’s sheds make in our community and the difference they make to the individual lives of many men throughout the city.
I would also like to extend my thanks to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, to Dr Bourke and to Ms Berry, together with Mr Gentleman, for hosting last week’s forum here in the Assembly. I am sorry that I was in a cabinet meeting at the time and unable to make it to the forum, but I understand from reports that it was a resounding success and that everyone present benefited from the opportunity to get together to share their ideas and experience. It has been particularly pleasing to hear from those who attended that the men’s sheds found particular benefit in learning from one another. They indicated that they were keen to operate as independent groups, but were also able to adapt their activities to their members and to their local communities, and that the government can play a role in facilitating their activities, providing assistance where needed and learning from their experiences.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I congratulate you and all of my colleagues who hosted the forum for bringing together these grassroots community members and facilitating an environment where they learned from one another and provided useful information to the government on how best to support men’s sheds across the city.
As has been outlined already, but it is worth reiterating, men’s sheds play a significant role across Australia and in our city. That is why the government has previously invested in men’s sheds across the city—most recently, as Ms Burch has indicated, at the Tuggeranong facility, as part of the multi-use indoor community facility. And we have committed to providing further support for men’s sheds in the future. The government will soon receive a report based on extensive consultation with men’s sheds. Thanks to last week’s forum, this will include information from discussions and ideas generated there. Some of the preliminary findings from the report have confirmed what previous studies have already found, that men’s sheds offer significant benefits—to participants, but also to the broader community, through their activities and contributions to other community groups.
One of the other significant benefits is for the partners and families of the participants. I am told that many partners find benefits in having their husbands or partners out of the house, making community connections. That sounds like a win-win to me. No comment on possums at this point, Madam Deputy Speaker!
The preliminary work also demonstrates—
Mr Doszpot: I have heard a complaint from one of my constituents.
MR BARR: Indeed; so have I. The preliminary work also demonstrates—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Barr, do not digress along the lines of a possum.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video