MEALS ON WHEELS

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:46): I was pleased to learn recently that Renmark Meals on Wheels celebrated the serving of its 500,000^th meal. This major milestone for the branch saw the organisation's half-millionth meal served by long-time volunteer Ruth Christie and Renmark Paringa council mayor Neil Martinson.

The milestone meal celebrates the significant service and friendship the organisation provides to many Riverland residents. Meals on Wheels is not just about the meals it provides for its recipients, because it also provides important friendly, social contact—for many, a highlight of their day. Renmark Meals on Wheels provides between 50 and 80 meals each day, a service it has been providing for the past 44 years.

Meals on Wheels assists over 5,000 South Australians, with 100 branches across the state, but its beginnings were much more humble. It was established by South Australian Doris Taylor who, due to a childhood accident, was totally disabled at the age of 16 and was forced to live the rest of her life confined to a wheelchair. By her 20s, when the country was experiencing severe depression, she began to lobby for better conditions for the aged, the housebound and the disabled, recognising that if these people were to be encouraged to remain living in their own homes community service to assist them was vital.

By 1953 Meals on Wheels was established, the concept of producing meals with volunteer support the first of its kind in Australia. To establish the organisation a donation of £5 was contributed by those assisted by the service. Port Adelaide was the site of the first kitchen, where 11 volunteers delivered meals to eight clients, and not long after that kitchens were established at Norwood, Hindmarsh and Woodville. The first president of the organisation was the late Don Dunstan MP, who served as president from 1954 to 1956. Similar organisations have evolved around Australia and overseas from the same vision of Doris Taylor.

Today, Meals on Wheels South Australia has over 10,000 volunteers, more than 5,000 clients and 100 branches, including 40 kitchens, around the state. Meals on Wheels was the first organisation of its kind to charge for a meal, a concept previously unheard of; however, the concept received much acceptance from its clients, who realised that volunteer support was one thing but the cost of making a meal was another. Today, around $6 provides a quality, nutritious meal—and that is quite cheap when you consider that 50 years ago £5 was worth considerably more. So, $6 to provide a quality three-course meal once a day is very good value.

I congratulate the Meals on Wheels volunteers who strive to keep the organisation running and provide clients with affordable nutritious meals and friendly contact so that they can continue to live at home, while emulating the values of the organisation: unity, development, opportunities, cooperation and responsibility. Without volunteer support, the success of Meals on Wheels would not have been possible. On behalf of this council, I thank those individuals who take the time to benefit their community.

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