Tuesday, 18 November 2025

 Jade BENHAM (Mildura) (13:04): I want to today acknowledge the extraordinary work of the Mallee Accommodation and Support Program, or MASP as they are affectionately known locally, and to celebrate the opening of Doug’s Place in Mildura last week. Doug’s Place is a housing project of six accessible units funded by the regional supportive housing program, and because it has been driven by MASP, they were delivered on time and under budget. MASP has long been one of the quiet pillars of care in our region. When young people and the vulnerable fall through the cracks, when families are in crisis and when someone has nowhere safe to go, MASP is there, not with judgement, but with compassion, stability, the wraparound services that are needed and the genuine belief in the potential of all people.

The opening of Doug’s Place is a powerful reflection of that mission. This is not just a new facility. It is a lifeline, a safe, supportive home for MASP clients, who deserve stability, dignity and the chance to rebuild their futures. And it carries a special meaning. Doug’s Place honours a man who spent his life advocating for young people and the vulnerable, and you can feel that legacy the moment you walk through the doors. Hope lives there.

I want to sincerely acknowledge CEO Charmaine Calis, board chair Mary Rydberg, the MASP team – they have done it quite tough over the last year and a bit – and every partner who helped make Doug’s Place a reality.