Neighbour Day

Mrs POWER (Elder) (15:45): I rise today to recognise the outstanding efforts of local residents and groups throughout my electorate of Elder who have recently taken part in the City of Mitcham's Neighbour Day, which brought together neighbours and celebrated our amazing local neighbourhoods.

During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have come to appreciate our neighbours in a way we did not before, and rightly so. At the height of the pandemic last year, those physically closest to us, our neighbours, became a vital part of staying social while staying socially distanced. I have heard lots of stories recently of how people have connected with their neighbours in their streets, in their driveways or across their fence.

Thankfully, this year we have been able to come together and gather as we normally would to celebrate Neighbour Day. Thanks to the City of Mitcham Neighbour Day competition, such celebrations were well supported with vouchers and barbecues. Locally, I have had the pleasure of attending three barbecues organised as part of the City of Mitcham Neighbour Day competition.

The first was held in Melrose Park, and the local park certainly sizzled not only because of the barbecue but because of the lively, friendly group of residents who all got involved. A big congratulations and thanks to Emma, Paul, Karyn, Mandy and Phoebe for their incredible work organising the event and to everyone who attended and made it the great fun it was.

Local councillors John Sanderson and Katerina Steele also both attended and it was the first Brad, my husband, had even heard of let alone participated in a thong toss. It all made for a rather funny and fun day. I am not the most coordinated person, so I was a bit nervous throwing the thongs that I might hit a kid or two standing next to the target, but fortunately it was all done in a safe way.

Following that, another great Neighbour Day barbecue was held in St Marys at the Little Library on Lloyd Street. Congratulations to Jo and Simon Moate on their efforts in organising this gathering. The event was all the more special in their beautiful butterfly-friendly garden with their vegan salads.

Finally, on Saturday 24 April, I joined Colonel Light Gardens residents for a gourmet sausage sizzle in Mortlock Park. It was organised by the residents' association group and it was a really special day. It was one of those cool but sunny winter days in Mortlock Park, which, for those people who do not know it, is just stunning with its gum trees. Both ward councillors Coralie Cheney and Rod Moss were also in attendance and I know they enjoyed the day as much as I did.

I would like to congratulate the City of Mitcham on helping facilitate these terrific community events, encouraging everyone to get to know their neighbours. To everybody who either organised a barbecue or attended one of them, well done. We are in this together and great neighbourhoods are made by individuals being great neighbours. I also held a special event in Parliament House where I spoke about the importance of communities and the role that we all play as individuals in creating a great community starting by being a great neighbour.

While Neighbour Day has come and gone for 2021, I would like to challenge everyone to be a better neighbour each and every single day. Neighbours connect and provide support to those living next door and to those further away. I encourage everyone to continue to grow stronger, well-connected communities through our everyday actions. It might be as simple as helping your neighbour bring out the garbage, or picking up some rubbish outside the front of your neighbour's lawn, or even just saying hello and goodbye as you come and go when you go about your everyday lives.

It makes such a difference to live next to people who are friendly, and so you can start that by being the friendly person who says hello first. Congratulations to all.