Hawkesbury Living Nursing Home Upgrade

Mr ALLAN SHEARAN (Londonderry) [11.28 a.m.]: I wish to report to the House the opening of the Hawkesbury Living Nursing Home upgrade at Richmond just a few weeks ago. This is a rather unique development—a partnership between Hawkesbury Living and the Richmond Club. The Richmond Club is the largest registered club in the Hawkesbury area. It faces many challenges to ensure its continuing success, and indeed its continuing survival. Additionally, many local businesses are directly affected by decisions clubs make and this demonstrates the very significant contribution clubs make to the local economy. As members would be aware, clubs provide a variety of services to the community—entertainment, food and beverages, a pleasant meeting place—and they bring individuals and communities together by generally providing social opportunities. The club also supports many community organisations, especially in the traditional areas of sporting and recreational activities. In providing services, clubs face many challenges, such as the impact of economic pressures and, of course—dare I say—taxes.

Today the world is combating an economic downturn so clubs have to be innovative and disciplined in order to survive. Furthermore, along with such challenges, they have to meet responsibilities, including harm minimisation in respect of the service of alcohol and the provision of gaming facilities. The Richmond Club is an organisation that has taken those challenges head-on. It has embarked on a diversification that is rather unique in New South Wales. In this regard I speak of its partnership with Hawkesbury Living, a local aged-care facility, which has provided exceptional care and quality services to the New South Wales Hawkesbury Valley's aged community for the past 20 years. While it continues to provide all the facilities and services one can expect from most large clubs within the State, the Richmond Club has proudly embarked on a partnership relationship with Hawkesbury Living, recognising the increasing need for aged service facilities.

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of introducing the Hon. Kevin Greene, Minister for Gaming and Racing, to the senior executive of the Richmond Club and he participated in a visit to the construction of an extension and upgrade of the Hawkesbury Living facilities. I understand that the Richmond Club has already been recognised by Clubs New South Wales for its initiative in getting involved in the aged care industry—in particular its chief executive officer Kimberley Talbot—and I can say that the Minister was most impressed with the direction the club is taking. He pointed out that, as far as he was aware, the Richmond Club was the only club in this State that had gone down this path, adding that this uniqueness should be acknowledged and that the club deserved congratulations.

The opening of the extension and upgrade a couple of weeks ago was attended by Barry O'Farrell, the Leader of the Opposition; Louise Markus, the Federal member for Greenway; the Mayor of Hawkesbury, Bart Bassett; councillors Christine Paine and Paul Rasmussen; and a number of distinguished guests. The official opening was performed by the Leader of the Opposition, but I was delighted to be asked to speak, particularly when I thought that I was a little bit in the minority, with the Liberal Opposition leader, the Liberal Federal member and the Liberal mayor in attendance. Nevertheless, I had the opportunity to at least put in an appearance for the Government. In my speech I commented on the management of the club and, in particular, the chief executive officer Kimberley Talbot. Kimberley is one of those rare persons who has a passion and a determination that no-one can stop.

I commented that it was her subtle determination that led the club and its executive down the path to a partnership with Hawkesbury Living. I was trying to be nice, but the Leader of the Opposition interjected and said, "Subtle determination like a sledge hammer." I suppose in many respects Kimberley is very aggressive with her determination, but I think the whole community and the club benefit from that determination. The new extension was named the Dave Butler Wing. Dave is a sixth-generation Hawkesbury resident, and as chair of the Richmond Club board of directors I think that it was very appropriate the extension was named after him. I congratulate Dave Butler and the club, and I wish the Hawkesbury Living partnership every success for the future.