Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Neighbourhood houses

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (17:27): (175) My adjournment debate this evening is for the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers and Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, and it relates to ongoing funding for the operation of neighbourhood houses throughout Victoria. The action I seek is for the government in this upcoming budget to fully fund all of the Eastern Victoria Region neighbourhood houses, which provide such an invaluable support to community members right across the electorate, and indeed, I request, those in the whole of the state.

There are over 400 neighbourhood houses in Victoria, and on average they service over 200,000 visits by people per week. They are the most wonderful places – safe, supportive environments for Victorians to come to and engage in a variety of ways, including through programs. It is true that they are individualised; no one neighbourhood house has an identical set of programs and services to the next. I have had the pleasure of catching up with many of my neighbourhood houses across Gippsland in particular. I will share with you some of the most amazing of those neighbourhood houses: Bass Valley, Churchill, Corinella, Gormandale Community House, Inverloch, Leongatha, Loch Sport, Manna Gum in Foster, Marley Street in Sale, Milpara in Korumburra, Moe, Morwell Neighbourhood House – and I will talk a little bit more about Morwell – Neerim district neighbourhood and community house, Phillip Island, Rosedale, Traralgon, Venus Bay, Warragul, Wonthaggi, Wurruk and the Yarram one. I was there a little while ago, and they were busy making food with the school students of the Yarram high school to teach and engage them in food production but also provide food nourishment for people with food insecurity. It is a fantastic place.

Another example is when Martin Cameron and I visited the Morwell Neighbourhood House. They really individualise their service to their community in the most wonderful way. One of the things that Tracie Lund shared with us, and I just love the sense of humour that goes along with this, is that they have a lawn-mowing service where various businesses and organisations donate lawnmowers so that people can borrow them – the fuel is paid for – and have pride in their region if they cannot afford their own lawnmower, which is often the case. The brand new one is called Moe Yallourn. If you know that region, you will know that they are two amazing towns in my electorate. The government needs to fully fund and continue the great services of our neighbourhood houses.