COVID-19
Mr HIBBINS (Prahran) (09:51): I rise to thank everyone in our community in the Prahran electorate for their efforts this year. Whether you have been essential workers on the front lines in health care and social services, our awesome teachers and childcare workers, delivery drivers and retail workers who have been serving us through the lockdown, traders who have been trying to find a way through or just people who have been getting by—you know, working from home, looking after the kids, taking on even more duties at home or people living alone in isolation—it was no easy task this year. I want to acknowledge that for many people who have become unemployed or who have lost hours it is still tough going. This pandemic will have long-lasting effects on people’s economic security and their ability to get work, particularly for young people, with many people pushed to the margins.
As I have said, getting through this pandemic is only the first step, and we need to keep working to create jobs, to look after people most in need, to protect our planet for generations to come and to build back better. We are really pleased to see progress, and we will continue the work next year.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank my electorate staff this year, who have worked really tirelessly to respond to the avalanche of inquiries, questions and issues that people had. It was incredibly difficult and challenging at times, but they really took it up and went the extra yard for our constituents in Prahran. Thank you for everything that you have done to support our community.