Thursday, 12 September 2024

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for Medical Research) (10:03): I rise today to give a special acknowledgement of one of my constituents, Nicole French. Nicole owns Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health in Keilor Road. First established in 2006, her practice offers a collaborative approach to physiotherapy and exercise physiology, addressing early management of injuries and preventative health as well as longer term and more complex rehabilitation needs.

Some congratulations, and first a belated one: Nicole was awarded in 2023 the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to health programming, delivery and innovation. From humble beginnings, Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health now employs 20 members and has an onsite general practitioner. I have been there and met the wonderful staff that are employed by Nicole. When I first met Nicole in my electorate office she said, ‘It’s not about what I want to do, it’s about what the community needs,’ and here she is with Exercise for Rehabilitation & Health.

The second congratulations comes in that Nicole was awarded $250,000 from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Foundation to carry out her important work in the area of diabetes. There is really important work Nicole is doing that is making an incredible difference both to our community but more broadly in medical research and medical science going forward for many, many Victorians. Nicole’s work actually takes pressure off the health system as well as relieving patients of the financial burden that can be incurred from consistent specialist appointments. One more time can I say congratulations to Nicole and to all of her team and thank her for choosing to call Niddrie home.