One of Victoria’s newest Senators, Bridget McKenzie, paid her first official visit to Castlemaine last week.
The Senator concluded that Castlemaine has good food, is the administrative centre for a well-run Shire and home to big-hearted people after a luncheon meeting at Togs with Mayor Janet Cropley, a tour of Windarring and meetings with the Mount Alexander Shire Accommodation and Respite Group.
Senator McKenzie (Nationals) won her seat in the Senate at the Federal election, and formally took her place in the Senate on July 1 this year. The same day, she opened her main electorate office in Bendigo.
She said at the time that her focus as a political representative is on regional Victoria, and Bendigo is the centre of the State.
Senator McKenzie expressed her admiration for the job being done by volunteers to help people with disability in the Castlemaine region, and promised to lend her support to the fund-raising effort by MASARG to build a respite centre and supported accommodation.
“As I understand it, at least 47 families would benefit from a local respite service in Castlemaine,” Senator McKenzie said.
“From the briefing session with the Mayor, there is a lot happening in Castlemaine and the Mount Alexander Shire, but the most urgent task is to extend every possible help to those families who are now supporting people with a disability.”
Senator McKenzie said she intends to be a frequent visitor to Castlemaine and the Shire from her base in nearby Bendigo.