Page 1630 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I want to commend the artistic director, Roland Peelman, for his visionary program. The capacity for us to attract the legion of internationally renowned artists is testament to the strength of the Canberra International Music Festival. I look forward to the 26th International Music Festival next May.
Scullin community group
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (6.37): I rise to congratulate the Scullin community group on the very successful launch of their community enterprise hub, Scullin Traders. They are a great example of what can happen when committed residents unite in a common cause.
The group started only in October last year with a goal to build community and transform the struggling local shops. In the past seven months, they have set up street libraries, which my children love; introduced Tuesday night social soccer; and designed and installed a community notice board, amongst other things. Now they have launched their very own pop-up store by leasing the front half of the wholesale bakery in the local shopping centre.
Scullin Traders is no ordinary shop however. It is, as the group proudly proclaims, an experiment of community creativity and local transparency. Kitted out by volunteers for under $3,000, the shop sells bread, milk and basics; provides comfy lounges for locals to sit on and enjoy a coffee; and sublets space to a variety of micro traders selling fresh flowers, jewellery, soaps and ceramics. Florey’s popular Cafe Bolivar, home of my favourite empanadas, has opened a second coffee van outside the Scullin Traders and has co-working desk slots available for hire inside.
The Scullin community group is already busy planning future workshops to be held in this space. They are entertaining the idea of evening programs with live music. One of the objectives behind launching Scullin Traders was to revitalise the local shops and hopefully draw other businesses back into the suburb.
What a fantastic example of community initiative. Canberra Traders is also exceptional in that it is being run entirely by volunteers. Those who put their hands up are asked to commit to one or two shifts per week, with each shift to being four to eight hours. Many of the current volunteers are local Scullin residents, but the enterprise has also attracted interested Canberrans from elsewhere across the territory.
Trading hours are dependent on the availability of volunteers. I personally thank my generous and community-minded neighbours who are making this happen. On a recent visit to Canberra Traders, the volunteer running the shop was a young mother of four. She was able to provide the service by bringing her small baby with her, a fantastic reminder that people in all kinds of life stages are able to engage in volunteerism, which lifts both the giver and the community. This mum’s children will no doubt grow up with a firsthand understanding of how important it is to give of themselves in ways that build and strengthen their community.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video