Wednesday, 17 June 2026

 Bronwyn HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (10:45): There is so much going on in the vibrant electorate of Thomastown – so many good people doing so many good things. Over the past week I was able to join residents at the Residents of Epping North and Wollert community association coffee and chat to discuss local environment issues and local news. I also got to talk about the work of the State Electricity Commission, its role in bringing down wholesale electricity prices and the recent announcement of 2000 new apprentices.

Then there is Link Community Transport and its staff and many dedicated volunteers who assist older Victorians to get about and stay connected. The recent outing I attended had lots of laughs and great company. Days out include cruises, trains, bus trips throughout regional Victoria, as well as short trips to see the sights of Melbourne. Link also provides much-needed transport options for older people to get to the appointments and shopping they need to do. But it is not just services it provides, there is care and support built in and a groundswell of expert volunteers to help. Some volunteers were previous clients of Link through their carer roles and now volunteer to give back to an organisation they love.

I also had the honour of attending the presentation of the Board of Imams Victoria Lifetime Achievement Award to imams who have served the community for more than 30 years, to honour their dedication, selfless and invaluable service to others and to Islam and the Victorian Muslim community. Congratulations to Sheikh Rexhep Idrizi, former imam of the Albanian Australian Islamic Society; Sheikh Isse Abdo Musse, chief imam of the Melbourne Grand Mosque, graduate of Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia; and also Sheikh Eljam Bardi.