Thursday, 20 November 2025

 Emma KEALY (Lowan) (17:11): (1439) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Housing and Building, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide additional funding to allow a full upgrade of the kitchen at Hamilton Community House at 19 Sedgewick Street in Hamilton. Deb King and the team at Hamilton Community House are providing incredible supports for the local community, as they have for many, many years. The range of their supports is really incredible, and it has escalated so much over recent times under the cost-of-living crisis. Deb is certainly seeing more people coming in who are needing support such as participating in one of the many programs that they offer at Hamilton Community House, including sewing classes; they have had chair yoga there. They have a men’s shed onsite. They do incredible quilt work as well, which I saw on full display at the Hamilton Sheepvention.

But they also are providing a food pantry. They are providing an enormous array of services to provide food and meals to families in need. It cannot be understated how important they are, which is why Deb has been fighting so hard to have further funding provided for their kitchen upgrade. They have had assessments at the community house kitchen which indicate that it does not meet the requirements to maintain its class 2 food registration. I will paint a picture for you. The cupboards are reminiscent of a 1970s-era U-shaped kitchen with that lovely timber laminate on the outside and chipboard underneath. The edges are all chipped away now. The chipboard is exposed. To just complete the look, there are green plastic round handles. This is certainly a sight to behold, and it is a tiny kitchen for the types of meals and support that that kitchen produces.

The funding is limited to only allow for half of the bottom cupboards to be replaced. That means that we will still have the old cupboards up the top, and we will still have some of the old cupboards down the bottom. It certainly does not bring that kitchen up to the food safety standards that they need. We are not talking about big bucks. What I understand is the current works to complete half the bottom cupboards is $6800. To do the entire kitchen is $11,800. I urge the minister to engage with Hamilton Community House, to recognise the good work that they do and to tip in any additional funds to ensure that that kitchen is up to scratch and the Hamilton Community House, like so many of our community and neighbourhood houses, can continue to provide the amazing services that they provide for people in our region.