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

I‘d like to wish Lake Macquarie resident Enid Webster all the very best when she competes in this Sunday’s City To Surf at the spritely age of 98.

This year’s event will be Enid’s fifth. Despite being ill and undergoing surgery just a few months ago, Enid is determined to finish

I recently acknowledged the work of Suzanne Pritchard in State Parliament.

Suzanne epitomises the wonderful community spirit we enjoy in Lake Macquarie.She has been the President of the Coal Point Progress Association for 23 years and is a passionate advocate for sustainable development. The association is a vital part of the Coal Point

I wish to acknowledge South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club for the remarkable work they do in our local community. The club, which sails out of Sunshine on the southern shores of Lake Macquarie, is celebrating its seventieth anniversary this year. It is a modest club but one that achieves great things. Over the recent long weekend, it hosted

This week I had the pleasure of attending the Hunter Mountain Bike Association club base at Awaba to announce a $450,000 Stronger Country Communities Fund grant to expand the mountain bike park with world-class trails.

Included in that expansion is the addition of trails for disabled riders, making the park the

I acknowledge an impressive milestone reached recently by Tony Prior of Fishing Point. For 50 years Tony, a retired pharmacist, has served local communities through the Lions Clubs, showing an unquestionable dedication to his local community. Tony first joined Lions in 1968 when he lived at Branxton. He transferred to the Singleton Lions Club in

I acknowledge one of Lake Macquarie's most tireless volunteers and environmental champions. I recently had the honour of presenting Robyn Charlton with a NSW Government Community Service Award to acknowledge the many years she has spent working on countless environmental and community projects. Robyn has attained a degree in environmental

I acknowledge a large and very dedicated team of volunteers within Morisset Lions Club which until last January had operated the Driver Reviver station on the M1 for the past 23 years.

Many motorists heading north of Sydney through the Hunter region would have seen this driver rest stop at Beresfield.

The station, which was run

I acknowledge the tremendous work being done in the Lake Macquarie area by Mel Hall. The words "colourful character" get thrown around too often these days when they should be reserved for people like Mel, who brings great joy to many people. Mel, from Teralba, was a panel beater by trade and is now a part-time musician in his retirement,

I acknowledge Morisset resident Beryl Mullard, who has done a remarkable job researching, preserving and recording local history. Beryl recently self-published her third work on the Morisset district, entitled Way Back Then: A Pictorial History of Morisset and District including Wangi Wangi and Rathmines. Her latest work details a mix of