Stronger Communities

I was pleased to be able to support and announce a series of grants to local organisations in the third round of the Stronger Communities programme. Fifteen local groups in Menzies were successful for:

• Doncare to purchase a crew van to assist with donation collection and to transport special needs patients;

• The Croydon Hills Men’s Shed to construct a clean eating area;

• The Manningham Men’s Shed to upgrade a walkway and replace old heating and cooling facilities;

• The Schramms Sports Club to upgrade kitchen facilities;

• The Bulleen Templestowe Amateur Football Club to restore lighting facilities at the Ted Ajani Reserve and purchase an electronic scoreboard;

• The Coptic Orthodox Church to upgrade an outdoor area;

• The Australian Air League to upgrade educational equipment;

• The Friends of Warrandyte State Park for the installation of a water system;

• The Doncaster RSL for building restoration and repairs;

• The Veneto Club for the upgrade of the women’s change rooms;

• The Templestowe Junior Football Club for lighting;

• The Templestowe RSL for the upgrade of air conditioning;

• The Doncaster Cricket Club for storage facilities and equipment;

• St Mark’s Anglican Church for the construction of a community garden and meeting place; and

• The Maroondah Council for the upgrade of change room facilities at Quambee Reserve to accommodate their growing female membership.

What matters most about society happens in the space between the individual and the state – the space occupied by families, communities, civic and religious institutions, and the private economy – and that creating, sustaining, and protecting that space and helping all take part in what happens there are among the foremost purposes of government.