Neighbour Day

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (15:43): Neighbour Day this year was on 29 March and the theme was social connection. It might seem a little ironic, given the circumstances that we have found ourselves in. I want to speak today about my local community throughout the Limestone Coast and how they are working together, being good neighbours and rising to the challenges that COVID-19 presents. Three months ago, the term social distancing was virtually unknown in Australia, but now social distancing, self-isolating and quarantine are regular parts of our everyday language. Yet, despite these restrictions on face-to-face contact, so many people are showing that they are good neighbours—supportive, caring and helpful.

A couple of weeks ago I went to my door after seeing someone approach the door and then go back into their car that was parked out the front. The young woman had left a small laminated message as a doorhanger and was delivering them to households throughout Port MacDonnell. The message on the card was, 'While these times are uncertain and tough, I'd like to pass this on to you. A handmade card to read if you're sad and you feel like you've had enough!' On the reverse it said, 'An invisible hug' and had some sprigs of greenery and some gentle and cheerful colours. I want to commend this anonymous neighbour and thank her. I want to thank her for caring about the people in our community and making the effort to create something individual and to take the time to hand deliver them around our township.

Our local library and community centre has also quickly adapted so it can continue to provide services to our local community. Usually led by the wonderful Eve Carlin, who I think is in isolation at the moment, the centre has quickly made changes so that local residents are not feeling unable to access the sorts of resources they need, particularly in a time of isolation. We can now click and collect, or phone and collect, books and DVDs and audiobooks. The library at Port MacDonnell is also an agency for several banks, Centrelink and other government agencies. I want to thank Sharyn, Zoe, Angela and Georgia for being so welcoming and happy to help when people come in, stand two metres away and go in and out one at a time.

Local government throughout the Limestone Coast has also offered assistance for our community in many ways. My local council, the Grant district council, has actively promoted information about local businesses that remain open and need to be supported. These include the wonderful Periwinkles, open for takeaway only at the moment, as well as the Breakwater Cafe and the Parade Fish Shop, among a number of others.

Our local council has also established a business liaison team to help local businesses to access government support and develop flexible rates hardship arrangements, and a number of other initiatives. I encourage all our local councils, including Mount Gambier, Wattle Range and the District Council of Grant, to work with and lobby the state government because we want to ensure that our region gets its fair share of the local government stimulus package announced previously by the Premier.

I would also like to commend Josh Lynagh, who runs the very popular Limestone Coast community news Facebook page. This has been a really good resource and source of information for local residents throughout this difficult time. I think it is fair to say that, at a time like this when people must stay home so much, having a forum in which local residents can interact and share information is absolutely invaluable, so thank you, Josh.

Josh is also involved in the Mount Gambier and Districts Health Advisory Council, and I want to congratulate them for their initiative to create the COVID Kindness neighbourhood card, with the message, 'Let's make kindness go viral'. They distributed these cards which encourage residents to leave at their neighbours' doors information on how they can contact their neighbour and offers of help in whichever way is needed. My staff and I have also made hundreds of calls to the Limestone Coast, checking on residents' wellbeing and offering assistance and COVID-19 information if needed.

For many elderly people in particular, this has been an especially difficult time. Being forced to remain isolated is hard for everyone, but particularly for those who might get most of their social interaction by going down to the shops or some other activity which is now restricted. Receiving a neighbourhood card or a phone call just asking how they are going and having an opportunity to chat lets them know that they are not alone. The community and their neighbours are there for each other, a worthy purpose of Neighbour Day.