Australia Day has yet again been a wonderful occasion to celebrate our volunteers and outstanding community members, and welcome new citizens to our community.

I congratulate Paula Williams (Starrs), rightly recognised for her extraordinary effort helping the community secure a fundraising target of $1.2 million in less than a year for a new MRI at the Swan Hill District Hospital.  The former Coalition Government’s investment of $30 million made the dream of a new Emergency Department a reality and the MRI will be a wonderful addition to local health services.  Paula is a truly deserving recipient of Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Citizen of the Year awarded on Australia Day.

It’s dedication to local community wellbeing that has seen Eva Wong also recognised – and I congratulate her - as Council’s Young Citizen of the Year for founding Move Swim to include others in recreational swimming.

I also celebrate the Inner Wheel Club of Swan Hill’s recognition for their Up the Garden Path event last June, named Community Event of the Year, raising thousands of dollars for Cord Blood Research.  The Club has also contributed to fundraising towards the MRI machine and other worthy causes.

We can be optimistic and positive about Australia Day as polling shows support for Australia Day growing, particularly among younger Australians.  Over all age groups, 75 per cent of Australians say we have a history we can be proud of, 76 per cent support celebrating Australia Day on 26 January, 87 per cent believe it is important we have an annual day to celebrate Australia on 26 January, and 88 per cent say they are proud to be an Australian.  As I welcome new citizens at Citizenship events, I see how proud they are to become citizens of our great nation.

I marked Australia Day attending local events near my home and offering Mallee residents a free sticker ‘Together under one flag’ that you might wish to put on your wheelie bin or somewhere prominent.  You can collect a copy at the Swan Hill Electorate office, or register your interest by emailing anne.webster.mp@aph.gov.au.