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Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Page: 1388

Ms GAMBARO (Brisbane) (13:51): I am pleased to rise and express my support for an application by the Mental Illness Fellowship of Queensland, MIFQ, for a grant from the Regional Development Australia Fund to assist in the development of a new facility at Herston in Brisbane. A local organisation, the MIFQ has been in operation since 1981. Since then it has provided a very valuable and important service to people around the state, from the Gold Coast to Gladstone. During this time, the fellowship has helped thousands of Queenslanders living with mental illness and provided vital support and advice to their families. Almost half of all Australians will experience a mental disorder at some point during their lifetime and I am fully committed to helping organisations such as MIFQ to raise awareness of the funding that is still required to help those living with mental illness.

The project involves restoring and developing the historic Victoria Park clubhouse at Herston into Fellowship House. This building will become the home of MIFQ, will provide a support base for people with mental illnesses, will be a venue for information, will provide support and education services for families and carers of people with mental illness, will be a base for a range of community services and will provide support for all regional MIFQ services.

Given the critical nature of this issue and owing to the very valuable and important work that the Mental Illness Fellowship of Queensland does for the local community, I urge the government to approve this application. (Time expired)