Wednesday, 17 August 2022

 Ms TAYLOR (Southern Metropolitan) (09:47): I was very happy to be able to attend the South Melbourne Life Saving Club’s presentation night. They presented a whole stream of awards—they had to catch up from 2021 to 2022. It was extraordinary. Can I call out Andy Graham, the president, and also Dinah Boswell, the outgoing president, for being so welcoming. I attended with Martin Foley. It was just overwhelming to think of the hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours that these local community members put in for us, keeping everyone safe, including visitors, because apparently in our beautiful bay—it is glorious—when the sandbank hits the open water that can be a trap and people do not recognise that disparity there. These wonderful, wonderful volunteers give so much time, and they have to be so precise with their training to make sure that when they go out in the water they can do the job they set out to do. I was just so inspired by the teamwork and the collectiveness. And also in all weather—you know Melbourne weather is a shocker; we have some beautiful days, but we have some pretty cold and bitter ones—rain, hail or shine, they are out there for us. I was so proud and so happy to be there. What a great inspiration to everyone else in the community. Thank you to those volunteers, and keep up the great work.