It's no secret that New South Wales is in the midst of a trade-skills shortage, so it is heartening to hear one young Lake Macquarie resident is shaping up to be the best in the world at her chosen profession. After obtaining a Diploma of Nursing at Newcastle TAFE, 19-year-old Neave O'Reilly from Fassifern recently won a gold medal at the

I would like to recognise the efforts of Paul Johnson from Killingworth, who for nearly two decades has nurtured and guided teenagers not only through high school, but also the challenging Duke of Edinburgh Awards program. Paul has been a Duke of Edinburgh Awards group co-ordinator for 18 years, making him the longest serving co-ordinator of groups

I wish to acknowledge Bob Marks and Karl Zalewski who have proven that good things can often come from heartbreaking tragedy.

Last November, Simon Marks suffered a fatal heart attack while playing cricket for the Dora Creek Worker’s Club’s D2-grade team.

While

I wish to acknowledge the wonderful work of Coal Point resident Erica Henley and a small group of volunteers behind Operation Hope in Lake Macquarie.

Operation Hope, founded by Erica in 2017, has been sourcing and collecting donations of unused medical equipment and supplies from hospitals and shipping

Avondale University has been an important and integral part of the Lake Macquarie community for more than 122 years, but I'm very pleased to inform the House that the college is now known as the Avondale University.

Following many years of hard work by the college's leadership group, Avondale

I wish to acknowledge the efforts of Morisset teenager Jack Callaghan who recently became the youngest ever winner of Newcastle Harness Racing's driver's premiership.

Jack was aged just 17 when he completed his first full season of driving in the 2018-19 racing calendar.

Just

I wish to acknowledge a wonderful member of the Dora Creek community who caused quite a stir last week when he hung up his butcher's apron for a life in retirement.

Brian Finlay has been a butcher for 50 years but has spent the past 30 years at Martin's Meats in Walmsley Street.

In

I wish to acknowledge and congratulate the Dora Creek Swampies who broke a 13-year drought at the weekend and won Newcastle and Hunter Rugby League's A-grade grand final.

The Swampies took an army of local supporters up to Waratah Oval in Newcastle on Saturday and after a tight first half, ran away in the second to beat Belmont Souths

I wish to acknowledge the wonderful community spirit of Lynne Turner from Coal Point.

Lynne has been an active member of the Lake Macquarie Garden Club for 16 years and has served several terms on the executive committee as either President or Treasurer. Several years ago, Lynne devised the idea of conducting

I wish to acknowledge a wonderful young student from Blackalls Park Public School who has shown a great deal of initiative in improving his school and local community.

Oliver Croft was in Year 3 when he first wrote to me about the flag poles at his school.

He fondly remembered