Ms THEOPHANOUS (Northcote): I rise to pay tribute to the unsung heroes in our community, our volunteers. Last week marked National Volunteer Week, a chance to truly acknowledge the immense contribution that so many people make, giving their time, skills and compassion to helping others and making our suburbs a better place to live.

In the Northcote electorate we have some phenomenal volunteer groups. The Northcote SES unit have met every challenge of the last year and have been tireless in their work keeping our community safe through rain, hail, shine and pandemic. I was sorry to miss them at their recent tin rattle on St George’s Road, but I am looking forward to catching up with David Brien and the team soon.

Our stationeers along the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines put in their time and care to make our rail corridors safer, removing litter and tending to beautiful garden beds. We have community gardens across our network too. It has been wonderful to work with local resident Maria Miranda to establish the new Croxton community garden on VicTrack land. This is going to be a fantastic community asset, and we cannot wait to see it blooming.

Volunteers also form a key part of our neighbourhood house network and organisations like Merri Outreach Support Service and the Darebin Information, Volunteer and Resource Service, which support some of the most vulnerable members of our community. No words can describe my gratitude to them. Jika Jika, Alphington Community Centre, Span and Bridge—absolute warriors. There are too many volunteers to name, from parents in sports clubs or on school councils to our Merri and Darebin creek friends or the loving people at Northern Community CareWorks or Hands on Health. To all of you I say thank you. Our world is brighter and kinder because of you.