Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Kathleen MATTHEWS-WARD (Broadmeadows) (09:50): The year certainly kicked off in full swing, quite literally. It was fabulous to join the Glenroy Cricket Club for their annual ladies day celebration. Their bootscooting theme brought a great sense of fun to the day among sharing personal journeys, all the while raising funds for breast cancer support through the McGrath Foundation. I also had the pleasure of dropping into the Hume soccer club on Saturday, and it was great to recently visit the Upfield football club along with the member for Greenvale, Minister Erdogan and our federal member Basem Abdo for the wonderful community celebration co-hosted with Soraya with Love.

I have also had the immense privilege of being warmly welcomed at both the Guru Ravidass gurdwara and the St Thomas Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and catching up with Eritrean Families in Hume and the North. I thank all of these communities for their important work in our community and for their strong commitment to service, compassion, social justice and dignity for all of humanity. I loved being part of the Tamang Society new year celebrations, welcoming the Year of the Horse, and it was a great honour to represent the Minister for Small Business and Employment last week at the Australian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce.