Page 1471 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2017
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do this out of the sincerity of their heart; they want to make Canberra a better, more inclusive, more accepting city. They do this not because they believe they are extraordinary but because they believe they are ordinary, everyday people that just want to help.
I too call on people to get in, muck in, get involved and volunteer on every occasion they can. You can volunteer by going down to your local school and reading books to children. You can volunteer at a national level, or you can volunteer at a local level by knocking on your neighbour’s door and just saying hi. It is not that hard to do. I encourage everyone to try their very best to get up, to volunteer, to be involved and to try to help their community to become more inclusive and more conciliatory.
I again thank Mr Coe for bringing this important matter forward. It has been a great opportunity for us to stand here today and reflect on the important work volunteers do in our community, in our society and at a national level. I thank Mr Coe and I thank everyone else who will speak on this matter of public importance today.
MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (3.54): I also thank Mr Coe for bringing this discussion to the chamber and praise the tireless work and generosity of volunteers in the ACT. Volunteers in our community give their time and skills for free to support organisations and causes which could not otherwise exist. Volunteers are absolutely critical to the delivery of community services in Canberra, from supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged community members to raising money to fund research and raising awareness about public health issues. I extend my wholehearted thanks and admiration to those people who contribute to building our connected and caring community through volunteering.
I echo the congratulations of my colleagues to the winners of the 2017 Canberra region volunteering awards, which were announced last night. I am in awe of the amazing work of each and every one of the volunteers who were nominated for an award. These people see a gap in our community and mobilise to fill that gap of their own volition. I would like to make special mention of Orange Sky Laundry—Minister Stephen-Smith also mentioned this during question time—which received the ACT innovation award last night. I am a keen supporter of Orange Sky Laundry, and I am so pleased to see that they continue to be recognised, including being recognised within the ACT, for their very hard work.
Orange Sky Laundry started with an ingenious idea between two friends to fit a van with two washing machines and two dryers and travel around the streets of Brisbane offering a free laundry service to the homeless. But what Orange Sky Laundry is actually about is the conversations that can be had while the laundry is completed. Steeped in notions of dignity and respect, Orange Sky Laundry is the first of its kind in the world and now has services in 11 Australian cities, including Canberra. Orange Sky Laundry is a testament to what can be achieved with a generous spirit and a good idea.
I would also like to make special mention of Juliet Moody, the founder of the Fearless Initiative and winner last night of the thought and leadership award. The Fearless
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