Beaufort Scout and Girl Guide hall
Martha HAYLETT (Ripon) (10:33): The state budget last week included a lot of great wins, including free public transport for under-18-year-olds on the Maryborough and Ararat train lines, a $100 power saving bonus for Victorians in need, continuing the fox bounty program and more money for the East Grampians rural water pipeline. But there is one particular local win I want to shine a spotlight on today, and that is the $50,000 delivered for the Beaufort Scout and Girl Guide hall. The hall has been through the wringer in recent years, with flood damage and termites, and despite this it is still being used by the Scouts, the Girl Guides and other community groups in Beaufort as a place to come together, connect and have fun. The $50,000 that we secured in last week’s budget will help repair the floor in the hall and better the whole building. I want to thank Sandra Watkins, who has put in the hard yards applying for grants and fundraising to get this project done. A big thanks also to the committee for the Beaufort youth hub as well as Mark Harris, Jodie Harris and everyone at the 1st Beaufort Scout Group. Our rural communities deserve more places for young people to come together, and that is exactly what the hall is all about. Now it will be better and safer for even more young locals to enjoy it for years to come. Congratulations to everyone involved.