Members Statement: Yuroke Electorate Educators

Ms SPENCE (Yuroke—Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Youth)

Today it is my absolute pleasure to acknowledge the work of three outstanding teachers in our community who have spent decades shaping future minds and congratulate them on reaching these milestones:

Gwenneth Hutcheson has spent 50 years as an educator and currently works at Greenvale Primary School;

LesLee Young has spent 40 years as an educator and is currently working at Craigieburn Primary School; and

Elisabetta D’Amore has spent 40 years as an educator and is currently working at Mount Ridley P–12 College.

Gwenneth, LesLee and Elisabetta have no doubt changed thousands of lives for the better, and on behalf of our community I want to thank them for their incredible service.

I would also like to thank the frontline workers in our community who have been there for us from day one of this pandemic.

One thing we’ve seen during the global pandemic is that a spotlight has been shone on the work of essential frontline workers.

Of course, this includes emergency services workers, healthcare workers and others for whom we are so grateful. They’re there when we most need them, and knowing that we can count on these working people to keep us safe makes such a big difference.

But it also includes those who might be a bit less visible but by no means any less essential, important, or valued. This includes those who keep shelves fully stocked, the men and women who clean and sanitise public and private spaces, people manufacturing and distributing vital goods, construction workers keeping work going on our state-changing projects, and so many more.

I greatly admire and value that work and want all to know that it has not gone unnoticed.

Thank you to each and every one of you for all that you are doing.

Once we’re on the other side of this pandemic, I can’t wait to thank you in person.