CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Mr THISTLETHWAITE (Kingsford Smith—Assistant Minister for Immigration and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) (09:50): On 11 July I was privileged to join members of the Friday 400 Club at Maroubra Beach for their annual charity row, raising funds for the Mark Hughes Foundation and the Kids' Cancer Project. The 400 club is a group of local men and women who meet at Maroubra Beach every Friday at dawn for a workout, a swim and breakfast, promoting fitness and mental health and starting the weekend with a positive mindset.
For the second year, the 400 club have organised a charity row—33 teams this year—rowing 50 kilometres, raising $265,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation and Kids' Cancer Project, almost doubling last year's amount of $140,000. The 400 club also hold a sports lunch each year. They've walked the Kokoda Track.
They have so far raised over a million dollars for the Mark Hughes Foundation, supporting research and treatment of brain cancer. It was wonderful to see Mark down there at Maroubra on the day to spur on the teams and explain how the funding will help fund better treatment. The 400 club started with a few mates getting together at Maroubra Beach to train and chat, and it's grown into a wonderful community organisation and mental health organisation.
They represent the best of Maroubra, and they're one of the reasons why I'm so proud to represent our community here. Special thanks to Mark Fisher, Damien Sonego and Owen Finegan—lifelong mates of mine who put a lot of hard work into organising the event. Congratulations to everyone who rowed.
Well done to the 400 club once again. I was pleased to join Mascot Public School on 9 August for a fundraising breakfast organised by Maa Care Bangladesh in support of breast cancer awareness and research. For 14 years, our local Bangladeshi community has come together to host one of the 'biggest morning teas' in our area, raising money for cancer research, supporting families and strengthening awareness.
It has become a remarkable tradition of generosity and community spirit, and a celebration of Bangladeshi food and culture. This year's focus was the Breast Cancer Foundation, and I want to acknowledge everyone who helped make it possible. Breast cancer affects so many families across Australia.
Almost all of us know someone who has faced this disease, and we understand the toll that it can take, and that's why the efforts of the Bangladeshi community matter so much—raising awareness, supporting early detection and helping fund research that saves lives. A huge thankyou goes to my good mate Azad Alam and members of the committee for Maa Care Bangladesh, who helped lead the fundraiser, to their amazing volunteers and every family who made it such a success.
I want to also thank Mascot Public School for once again hosting and supporting this important community event. Your commitment reflects the very best of the Australian Bangladeshi community—with compassion, with service and with a determination to stand with people when they need it most.