Page 583 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 22 March 2023
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Their suite of programs includes cycling, skateboarding, movement and dance, and swimming. Together, these programs reach over 600 children and families every year: young people with disability, or those who are neurodivergent or want to participate in programs with their siblings who have disabilities.
I would like to thank Robin and Fiona for showing me their program at Evatt Primary School. It was great to see how their programs use outdoor spaces and the school gym. It was also really interesting to hear about their vision for the future of Abilities Unlimited as their organisation matures and how they have managed rapid recent growth in the number of volunteers and participants.
I know how much fun the young people in the programs have, because I got to ride around the dirt bike track, join in the fun on the skateboards and watch the joy of a dance rehearsal with them. Thank you to all the volunteers and participants who were kind enough to let me join in.
It is so important that we have appropriate sporting and recreational facilities located across Canberra for community sports organisations such as Abilities Unlimited. Community sports and recreation facilities are important for physical and mental wellbeing and as places to come together and be part of a connected community that has fun with each other.
Our growing city means more pressure on existing facilities. School gyms do not always meet the needs of particular sports and recreation activities, and it can be very hard to get a booking in competition with every other community group trying to access the same school hall. I want to thank the principal at Evatt Primary School for being so welcoming and supportive of Abilities Unlimited. I recognise that it does create significant additional work for the school, but they tell me that they love having these programs as part of their school community.
As a local member for Murrumbidgee, I will continue to advocate for the ACT government to support social connection and community recovery through better access to community sports facilities across our city, and I will continue to advocate for indoor multi-use sports courts in Woden.
To all the young people participating in Abilities Unlimited programs, it was so much fun to come and hang out with you. Keep enjoying what you do, and, to quote Captain Marvel: “Higher, further, faster, baby.”
Ms Marie Coleman AO PSM—tribute
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Families and Community Services and Minister for Health) (4.55): I rise today to celebrate the 90th birthday of Ms Marie Coleman AO, PSM. I had the great pleasure of joining many prominent progressive Canberrans on 11 March to celebrate Marie’s 90th birthday, the birthday of a genuine legend of the Australian Public Service and the Canberra community.
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