Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Ministers statements: corrections system

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (13:33): I rise to update the house about my recent visit to Recycle4Change in Bell Park along with the member for Lara in the other place. Recycle4Change is a social enterprise that helps people impacted by the justice and correctional system to turn their lives around by providing wraparound employment and training programs. I have previously spoken in this chamber about the great efforts of Fruit2Work, a social enterprise that delivers fruit, milk and pantry items to over 700 workplaces around Melbourne. Recycle4Change is a new enterprise by the same organisation, the Chance Creators group. Recycle4Change operates one recycling hub as a part of the Victorian government’s container deposit scheme, covering the area from Geelong to Laverton North in Melbourne’s west. In addition to helping people find jobs, Recycle4Change also helps local community organisations, sporting clubs and schools, providing convenient recycling bins onsite that are recycled at the hub. Following the success of the Bell Park recycling hub, Recycle4Change is planning to open another hub in the suburb of Point Cook.

During my visit to Bell Park, Ella George and I spoke with several employees that had found a renewed sense of purpose after working at Recycle4Change. I want to give a special thanks to the team, led by director Rob Brown and general manager Stuart Borg, for showing us their recycling hub and sharing their insights about how we can provide employment opportunities for people exiting the justice system. I also want to thank the staff there that shared their own personal experiences. It is never easy for people with lived experience of the corrections system to share those experiences with guests, but they were very open and forthright, and I really enjoyed the discussion. We know how important a job is to enhancing self-worth, reconnecting with family and enabling successful reintegration into society. Recycle4Change is a great example of how we can support the reintegration of those previously in the justice system while also working towards a more sustainable future for all.