PRIVATE MEMBER'S STATEMENT
Aspley Electorate, Grants
Mr MELLISH (Aspley—ALP) (2.03 pm): In the most recent round of Gambling Community Benefit Fund grants some of the hardworking and incredibly deserving community groups across the electorate of Aspley managed to secure almost $100,000 in funding towards new improvements and projects. This includes $20,000 to help Geebung Bowls Club purchase new furniture. Richard, Linda and the team at Geebung Bowls Club are going from strength to strength at the moment. I was very pleased earlier this year to announce funding of $550,000 for upgrades to the club. The club is very active with regular bowls and several groups utilising the indoor hall. The club is also home to the Brisbane Blind Bowlers. Their two natural grass greens are also very highly regarded. The $550,000 facility projects are being planned to look at improving their toilets, locker rooms, kitchen, bar area and clubhouse entrance and the replacement of shade adjacent to bowls greens, for example. I very much look forward to attending the Geebung Bowls Club’s president’s day this Saturday.
The latest round of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund grants also includes over $34,000 to the Northern Suburbs Pony Club in Bridgeman Downs to upgrade their clubhouse and $1,900 for the Aspley Uniting Church and Aspley Classes for Seniors, which both do fantastic work in our community, getting people active and acting as a real community hub for people to come together. I say well done to Aspley Uniting Church on a great church market stall last Saturday, which I was very happy to help promote. I myself picked up a great new chilli plant for the bargain price of $1.50. I hope it fares better than most plants I buy.
Mr Pegg: You could have paid more.
Mr MELLISH: I take that interjection: you could pay more for a chilli plant.
I also picked up some very delicious beetroot relish. This round of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund also includes $7,000 to Multicap Carseldine respite centre to purchase equipment and $35,000 to assist Aspley Special School P&C purchase a new motor vehicle. Aspley Special School has around a hundred students. I am constantly in awe of the work it does. I look forward to welcoming the education minister to the school tomorrow, in fact.
I am so appreciative of the opportunity I have to get to know the incredible people who make up these groups and many others in the community who put countless amounts of time and effort into making our part of the world a much more inclusive, vibrant, supportive and connected community. These groups are the backbone of our area, and I am proud to be part of a government that is committed to supporting them to the fullest extent possible. This funding is indicative of the range and calibre of great organisations doing great things in our area. The funding will go towards helping these organisations fund projects that otherwise would have been out of reach. Round 99 of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund is now open and closes on 30 November. I encourage any other groups in the area with upcoming projects to consider applying.