I was thrilled to read Peter Bannan’s article ‘Popular Breakfast Returns’ in Tuesday’s Guardian about the Australia Day Breakfast returning for the first time five years, thanks to the Rotary Club of Swan Hill collaborating with the Lions Club and Sunrise Rotary.

The resumption of a forty-year tradition is very welcome and I commend Swan Hill Council for allocating $5,000 to back in community clubs who are putting their shoulders to the wheel to strengthen community spirit. 

Loathe as I am to remind everyone, five years ago we saw community events collapse due to measures imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  I will be there cheering wherever I can to see large-scale public events brought back in the post-pandemic era.

I encourage Swan Hill residents to get out and ensure the Australia Day Breakfast is a huge success.  Better still, speak with one of the volunteers about how you could get involved next time, or support another community event.  Our volunteer organisations suffered severely from people pulling back from involvement during the pandemic.  So please consider being a meals on wheels driver, a school council member, a coach, blood donor or fundraiser for a good cause.

As we prepare for the Australia Day long weekend, and as Tuesday’s article pointed out, almost 7 out of 10 Australians support Australia Day being celebrated on the 26^th of January.  Across Mallee, my latest survey shows over 82 per cent back our national date. Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton agrees, indicating he will reinstate Australia Day citizenship ceremonies to occur on the 26^th, a rule Labor repealed when it came into Government.  The Prime Minister had promised pre-election he had no plans to change Australia Day, but we have seen Labor undermine Australia Day ever since.

 We Aussies love a long weekend and some of us enjoy letting our hair down, so please celebrate responsibly.  Think about your loved ones, mates and others on the road getting to and from your celebrations. This January 26^th lets have the best Australia Day in living memory.

Pictured: Dr Webster with volunteers from the Nyah West Op Shop