On Good Friday I will be joining Canopies for Kids to raise funds and support sick kids from the Royal Children’s Hospital. Skydivers will form a spectacle above Tooradin Airfield as 100 people throw themselves out of planes at 10,000ft to fall at 200km/h back to earth. Each jumper, including myself, will be accompanied by…
The Victorian Government’s commitment of $2.2 million for a new health centre on Phillip Island is welcome. This is the crucial first step in the process of securing better health and medical services for island residents. It will provide Phillip Island with a brand new, purpose-built public health facility linked to Wonthaggi Hospital. I also…
The Coalition Government is making it easier for farmers and landholders to be able to participate in the Emissions Reduction Fund by storing carbon in their soil, improving farm productivity and contributing to action on climate change. With so much of the electorate made up of rural land, this will be of particular interest to…
Veterans have received a welcome funding boost through the latest round of the Veteran and Community Grants programme. It is my pleasure to announce that two veterans groups in the Flinders electorate will benefit significantly from these grants. Hastings RSL has received $70,160 for the refurbishment of its kitchen facilities to enhance activities provided to…
I encourage local residents and environment groups to comment on the draft terms of reference for the newly created role of Threatened Species Commissioner. I have established the role of Australia’s first Threatened Species Commissioner to address the growing number of native flora and fauna faced with extinction. The Commissioner will bring a new national…
I encourage everyone to get involved in local events during Australian Heritage Week 2014. Australian Heritage Week is a national celebration of the places, buildings, landscapes and stories of our local communities and provides a link to our nation’s heritage. Our local heritage is being celebrated through a number of events. You can take a…
I welcome the announcement that the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF-Australia) will partner with Phillip Island Nature Parks to create a new exhibition about the Southern Ocean and Antarctic region. The Phillip Island exhibit will provide a fabulous insight into the sights, sounds, smells and beauty of the Antarctic. The habitat, environment and…
Young athletes are urged to apply for grants of $500 to help with the costs of competing in state and national events. The Local Sporting Champions grants program is an Australian Government initiative designed to support young people participating in state, national and international sporting championships as an athlete, coach or official. The grants contribute…
I am delighted that Abacus Learning Centre in Hastings has become one of the first providers on the Mornington Peninsula to offer assistance under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Abacus is a not-for-profit organisation that provides intensive early intervention therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), assisting them to reach their potential. I…
I encourage budding young poets to put their writing skills to the test in the 2014 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards. Submissions to Australia’s longest running poetry competition for students opened on March 1. Poetry is an age-old art form that delights and inspires many. One of my personal favourites is Tennyson’s Ulysses. I have often…
