Tuesday, 2 December 2025

 Bronwyn HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (13:48): Over the past week I had the opportunity to visit all the neighbourhood houses within the Thomastown electorate to celebrate the essential and uplifting work that they do, beginning with the Thomastown Neighbourhood House at their new home at the Thomastown West hub. The AGM and following lunch was the most enjoyable AGM I have ever attended. In addition to essential business, Liz is a very talented performer and really entertained us. There was singing and laughter and sharing in the joy of togetherness. This is what neighbourhood houses in the electorate do, as well of course as providing programs, courses and events, whether they support the Jeeran Arabic-speaking playgroup at Thomastown and other playgroups, meditation classes, the Friendship Cafe – and the list goes on. Then there is the Lalor Neighbourhood House, run by centre manager the dynamo Meredith Budge: English language courses, homework club, cafe, beautiful gardens that have actually won an architectural design award – again, the list goes on. Then there is Creeds Farm Living and Learning Centre run by Antoinette and staff. There are men’s groups, playgroups, table tennis programs, craft, music, coffee and chats, exercise groups – again, the list goes on. Neighbourhood houses do so much heavy lifting in support of local communities. I have a lot of postcards – they are calling on the Labor government to provide some more funding. We have substantially increased funds to neighbourhood houses, and they do such great work.