Ms ROXON (10:38 PM) —Speaking tonight so close to Christmas, I want to take the opportunity to send my best wishes for the coming festive season to all the men, women and families in my electorate and to wish them a safe and happy Christmas—as I know many others in the House wish their electorates. However, I would also like to send special wishes to the thousands of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and people of other religions, and even those of no religion, and I hope that they also enjoy this holiday period. As many would know, we are in the middle of Hanukkah as I speak tonight. As everyone knows, at the end of a long year it is important for us to take time to reflect on the year that has been, to rest and to enjoy some time with our families and friends.

I send that message to my electorate, but I also say that it is important for us to remember that, although Christmas is a happy time for many people, it is also a very difficult time for other people. It is particularly difficult for people with no families, those who have little support from friends, those who are in financial difficulties, the homeless, the jobless and those struggling for some other reason. Christmas can be one of the worst times of the year for people in those circumstances. Those people in particular need our thoughts and practical help at this time of year.

I particularly send my wishes and thoughts to the many thousands of volunteers and workers who help these people over the very difficult Christmas period. In particular, there are many thousands—not thousands in my electorate, but across the country—of youth workers, crisis carers, housing workers and welfare workers who find this time of year particularly stressful. I send a message of support to those people. I hope they also have some time off to enjoy the Christmas period and that their hard work does not go unnoticed by members of this House.

It is particularly timely to send our wishes to these workers when charities are facing a difficult time at the moment. In the House today, yesterday and over the last couple of months there has been sustained criticism by the opposition to the imposition of a GST on charities and the impact this will have on the good work they do. I hope that the government reflects again on its position on charities as we go into the Christmas period when so many of these organisations are called upon to help those who are in need.

I would like to thank some specific organisations in my electorate who work with these groups—although I know that in naming some I will leave out others; however, my thoughts are with all of them. They include Outreach, the Melbourne City Mission, Open Family and the many Rotary groups who have taken a very innovative approach in my electorate and are providing breakfasts at schools to children who are not receiving sufficient food at home. They have done many other good works to help children, in particular, who are in need. The Scouts, many of the pensioner clubs and other organisations, along with the migrant resource centres, have been particularly active in providing assistance to our community.

At this time of year these community organisations need us to contribute time and not just money, although I know that that is always welcome. However, it is always appreciated if people in the community can give up some of their rest time to spend a day or two assisting others over this period.

Finally, I send wishes from my electorate to the Australian troops in East Timor. We know that it will be a difficult time for them over the Christmas period. A number of those troops come from my electorate, particularly from Sunshine, and I know that many will be thinking of them and wishing them well and a speedy return to Australia.