For Zed Seselja, doorknocking for the St Vincent de Paul Society's annual appeal is more than just helping out a local charity, it's a family tradition.
The Canberra Liberals Leader has taken part in the Vinnies' doorknock campaign most years since he was a child and he and his family, newly arrived migrants from Croatia, were given a helping hand by the society.
The Opposition Leader says his father Louis was determined the family should give something back to the charity and all the Seseljas have been Vinnies doorknockers.
But this year, Zed Seselja will be taking the family's involvement to a new level when he launches the month-long fund-raising campaign in Yarralumla this morning.
''My family got some assistance from Vinnies quite a long way back, we were quite young and the family were fairly new to the country,'' Mr Seselja said yesterday.
''They didn't have money for Christmas presents and things, so the Vinnies people came and helped them out.
''When I was young, I remember doorknocking in Kambah, because that's where we lived, and then we moved to Wanniassa, I remember walking up the hills near our house, getting chased by dogs and various things; it can be a confronting experience, doorknocking.''
The society's Canberra and Goulburn chief executive Bob Wilson said he expected up to 2000 volunteers - a record number - knocking on doors for Vinnies this year and hoped the month-long campaign this year would raise up to $30,000.
''Canberra people are generous. Everybody says that and it's true,'' Mr Wilson said.
''We're not asking people to over commit, whatever they can afford to donate and if they can't afford to donate anything, then that's fine, we can accept that.''
Mr Wilson said volunteers were assigned a number of houses to doorknock during the one-month appeal period.
''People have got a month to do their collections, it could be weekends, it could be weekdays, whenever it's convenient for the collector,'' he said.
''We're hoping that we cover at least 75 per cent of Canberra and if we can do that, it can be a big boost to us.''
Mr Seselja said his parents would be helping out the appeal at St Anthony's Parish, Wanniassa, while the politician himself would be rattling the buckets in Macarthur and Fadden.
''The work that Vinnies does could never be replicated by volunteers in my opinion. It relies on volunteers, it's parish-based and it's absolutely critical,'' he said. Noel Towell
To donate to the appeal, visit vinniesdoorknock.org.au
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