CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Mr DREYFUS (Isaacs) (16:20): I rise to recognise the life of Lachlan McLaren, the important work of the Lachlan McLaren Foundation and the remarkable strength of Lachie's family, friends and community. Lachie was a much-loved young man from Melbourne's Bayside community but died tragically after being struck by a car on 15 August 2021, his 16th birthday. His death was a devastating loss for his family, his friends and the wider Bayside community.
He attended Mentone Grammar, in my electorate of Isaacs, where he was a valued member of the school community. He was a year 10 student, a keen basketballer with the Parkdale Pacers and a member of the Australian Army Cadets. He was known for his energy, courage and the care that he showed to others.
In the months that followed Lachie's passing, his family and friends looked for ways to come together in his memory. From that shared grief, Lachie's Walk was established. What began as a personal act of remembrance has grown into an annual community event along the Mentone foreshore, bringing hundreds of people together to remember Lachie.
Lachie's Walk keeps his memory alive while raising funds to support young people, families affected by road trauma and local organisations that reflect his kindness and commitment to others. I've twice joined Lachie's Walk with his family, friends and hundreds of members of our community. Every walk is filled with sadness but also with deeply felt warmth, generosity and a clear determination that Lachie's life will continue to make a difference.
Just last week, for the third year in a row, the Bayside community once again came together for Lachie's Walk. That same commitment to Lachie's memory led to the establishment of the Lachlan McLaren Foundation, which carries his legacy forward by supporting young people and families in the community. The strength and generosity shown by the McLaren family in the years since Lachie's death have been extraordinary.
They've created an enduring tribute to the qualities that defined Lachie: kindness, inclusion, courage and concern for those around him. I acknowledge Lachie's family, his friends, the volunteers and every person who has supported Lachie's Walk and the foundation. Lachie's memory will continue through the people who walk in his name and every young person given a better opportunity through his foundation.