Men’s sheds
Mr CARBINES (Ivanhoe—Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers) (09:40): I have had the opportunity to visit many of our fantastic men’s sheds across the state as we open, until 30 June, our new grants round of up to a million dollars, with grants of up to $80 000 for men’s sheds. I encourage them, across the state, to make an application, and I encourage colleagues in this place to get them to apply so that we can provide further support to the amazing work that men’s sheds do. We had the men’s shed association in here just this week on Tuesday, convened by the member for Thomastown and our friends of men’s sheds group, and a lot of MPs attended that. I am really pleased that we were able to catch up with the men’s shed association. I did also want to say, though, that while I have often been asked myself, I can help by staying out of the way when it comes to being anywhere near sheds or handyman sorts of work.
I was really pleased to have both the member for Brunswick and the member for Burwood on hand when we honoured our men’s shedders. One took a bit of a tumble and was not very well, but the doctor was in the house, the member for Brunswick, and I appreciate his very useful assistance—and also the member for Burwood. That particular individual, I can report, is well. We got him home—we gave him a lift actually; he happened to be a constituent. But I just wanted to thank colleagues in this place for stepping up and providing great support on the night. It was really important. Again, I think it just goes to making sure that men’s sheds not only provide great support and camaraderie but are good for your health, and I really commend the program to all members.