Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:16): Barwon Heads has shown how a local community can pull together to help each other through the challenges of COVID-19. This small Bellarine village, best known as a holiday destination, showed us the best of community spirit. When a family contracted COVID-19, many primary school students, a junior footy side and their families had to isolate to protect themselves and their community. This of course had an impact on this small and vibrant village, but the people of Barwon Heads organised themselves as only small and close-knit communities can, from good-spirited patients queueing up at the pop-up testing site through to supporting all the families isolating. People came to the fore to support those in isolation by shopping, delivering food and even dog walking. Feed Me Bellarine played a key role in providing food, and they were supported by many Bellarine businesses. A special shout-out goes to the Barwon Heads Football and Netball Club members, led by president Tim Goddard, who ran a virtual Friday night pie night one week and a fish and chip night the next, funded by local donations. People also prepared hampers of food and goods for the family who contracted COVID.
I am just so impressed by this family. With one family member still in hospital, they are doing their best to inform everyone just what COVID-19 is like. They are urging everyone to get vaccinated and would like to thank the public health teams for their dedication and fantastic work. We wish all the affected families— (Time expired)
