THANK YOU TO DAVID SAGGERS AND
GRAEME PRENTICE OF THE SENIORS’ CENTRE EXECUTIVE FOR THE INVITATION
TO OPEN THIS NEW FACILITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE EVERYONE INVOLVED
WITH THE CENTRE FOR THEIR INITIATIVE IN RECOGNISING THE NEED FOR INTERNET
ACCESS, PURSUING THE NECESSARY FUNDING AND MAKING IT A REALITY.
THROUGH THIS LOUNGE MANY SENIORS
WILL HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTERS, AND WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN SKILLS FOR
UNDERSTANDING AND USING THE INTERNET.
THIS LEARNING IS OFFERED BY THE
‘INTERNET COMMUNITY HOUR’ –
‘TRAIN THE TRAINER’ – SCHEME.
THIS SCHEME WHICH IS RUN BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW
A COMMUNITY’S RESOURCES CAN BE UTILISED IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY.
THE INTERNET COMMUNITY HOUR
PROGRAM IS CONSIDERED A MODEL OF ITS KIND – WHICH IS WHY MY OFFICE
CURRENTLY FEATURES IT ON THE ‘PREMIER’S
WEBSITE.’
IT CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE
AS A CASE STUDY ILLUSTRATING SUSTAINABILITY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
THE PROGRAM IS COST EFFECTIVE BECAUSE
IT USES AVAILABLE FACILITIES SUCH AS SCHOOLS OR COUNCIL AMENITIES.
IN FOUR YEARS, COMPUTER SKILLS
HAVE BEEN PASSED ON TO 50 COMMUNITY GROUPS AND 6,000 WESTERN AUSTRALIANS
IN ALL PARTS OF THE STATE.
I CONGRATULATE THE DEPARTMENT OF
INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY FOR ITS INITIATIVE AND PARTICULARLY GIVE CREDIT
TO TRAINER KAREN MELZACK, WHO IS HERE TODAY.
THIS INTERNET LOUNGE WAS FUNDED
BY A LOTTERIES COMMISSION GRANT OF $20,810 – MADE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY
FUNDING SCHEME.
ITS KEY BENEFIT WILL BE TO ALLOW
SENIORS TO EXPLORE THE WORLD AND PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY IN SOCIETY.
THE MESSAGE TO ALL SENIORS IN CARLISLE AND SURROUNDING SUBURBS IS
– NOW IS THE TIME TO GIVE THE INTERNET A GO AND IT’S NOT AS DAUNTING
AS YOU MIGHT THINK!
THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND
TECHNOLOGY IS FINDING THAT PEOPLE USE THE INTERNET FOR A MULTITUDE
OF REASONS.
SOME WANT TO INVESTIGATE FAMILY
HISTORY AND GENEAOLOGY, OTHERS WANT TO CONTACT
PEOPLE WHO SHARE THEIR INTERESTS THROUGH CHAT ROOMS AND DISCUSSION
BOARDS.
RETURNED SOLDIERS USE THE NET TO
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PLACES WHERE THEY SPENT TIME DURING THEIR ACTIVE
SERVICE.
AND MANY PEOPLE MAINTAIN FAMILY
TIES WITH RELATIVES OVERSEAS THROUGH EMAIL.
I BELIEVE THE STATE GOVERNMENT
HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENCOURAGE LIFE-LONG LEARNING.
WITH THE FIRST OF THE ‘BABY BOOMER
GENERATION’ TURNING 55, THE OVER-55S AGE BRACKET IS GOING TO FORM
A FAR GREATER PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION.
SOME SENIORS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS
ABOUT BEING ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
I SHARE THIS CONCERN – AND ONE
SURE WAY TO BREAK DOWN ISOLATION AND BOLSTER PEOPLE’S SELF ESTEEM
IS TO PUT PEOPLE IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER AGAIN.
THE INTERNET HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL
FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE AND REBUILDING A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
ONCE AGAIN, I CONGRATULATE THE
CARLISLE SENIORS’ CENTRE FOR ITS INITIATIVE
IN ESTABLISHING THIS LOUNGE – AND I COMMEND THE ‘INTERNET COMMUNITY
HOUR’ PROGRAM FOR ITS INVALUABLE SUPPORT FOR THESE VENTURES.
THANKS ALSO TO THE VOLUNTEER TRAINERS WHO WILL PASS ON KAREN’S SKILLS
TO LOCAL PEOPLE.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO DECLARE
THE CARLISLE SENIORS’ CENTRE INTERNET LOUNGE OFFICIALLY OPEN.
[ENDS.]
