I acknowledge the achievements of Dylan Bolch, who is a wonderful example of the fantastic young tradespeople we have in Lake Macquarie. From the suburb of Woodrising, Dylan is a 22-year-old welder who has been chosen to join an elite team of young tradespeople to represent Australia at the WorldSkills international competition in Abu Dhabi in October.

I recently had the great privilege of attending the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Itji-Marru Aboriginal Resource Centre at Morisset High School, which I am very pleased to acknowledge in the Parliament today. In the local Awabakal language, Itji-Marru means "to teach everyone", and that is exactly what it has done for many hundreds of

By leave: I acknowledge an extraordinary group which brings smiles to the faces of many people with special needs in my community. In 2002 a group of nine families headed by John and Carolyn Thoroughgood began a group called the Waltz-Sing Matildas. Those families each had a child of their own with Down syndrome or other disabilities. From weekly

Today I pay tribute to an extraordinary Lake Macquarie woman who has not only conquered her disability but also the sporting world. Marilyn Mills from Morisset was born with a genetic eye disease. As her sight deteriorated in early life, she turned to sports to find a physical outlet in a safe environment. She began with blind cricket and ended

I inform the House of the silver lining that emerged over Lake Macquarie from the 2016 Rio Olympics. Last Friday morning people from around my electorate cheered home three local champions who won three silver medals in Olympic sailing events. Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen raced near-perfect final races in the 49er class to win silver. This

I acknowledge a wonderful organisation that has not only served the children of my electorate for more than 50 years but also encapsulates the true meaning of community spirit. The Peter Pan Preschool at Wangi Wangi School has operated as a community-based centre for 52 years. In fact, it was officially opened by Wangi's favourite son, Australian

Many people would remember Robert "Dutchie" Holland taking wickets for Australia in the mid-1980s cricket tests and famously demolishing the batting line-up of the West Indies, but in Lake Macquarie we acknowledge him equally for his unswerving commitment to his local community. I have known Bob for many years and was pleased to see him

Professor Stephen Deane from Fennell Bay was made a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his significant contribution to the world of medicine. Professor Deane has been a significant and driving force behind improvements to the ways in which hospitals deal with trauma patients, both at home and abroad. Drawing on his

I recently had the pleasure of attending the New South Wales Rural Fire Service volunteer appreciation service at Doyalson. Among those honoured was Neville Koch, currently the captain of Mandalong Rural Fire Service Brigade, who has served on local brigades for 39 years. I have come to know Nev and his wife, Sandy, well. Our community would be

Each September we pause to remember and pay tribute to the police men and women who have been killed on duty while serving to protect our local communities. Since the inception of Police Remembrance Day 254 members of the NSW Police Force have died on the front line protecting our values and our way of life. I recently had the privilege of attending