Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Each year, 26 January offers Australians a very special opportunity to celebrate not only this wonderful country but also the many and varied people who work tirelessly for their communities and their fellow Australians. This year I once again had the great pleasure of celebrating Australia Day with the Bonner community. I was offered the opportunity to both participate in local citizenship ceremonies and join with the community in honouring those special men and women who continue to give so much but ask for nothing in return. I offer my sincere thanks and congratulations to the Southside Sport and Community Club, the Lions Club of Camp Hill and Carindale, the Rotary Club of Wishart and the Lions Club of Moreton Bay for having facilitated outstanding citizenship and recognition ceremonies on Australia Day.

The members of these clubs worked with enthusiasm and commitment to ensure that the day was a great success and a memorable event for all those who participated. It is because of their efforts that our community shared in and experienced the unity that Australia Day brings, and I commend the clubs once again on their fine work. Praise is also owed to Councillor Adrian Schrinner and his assistant, Julie, who worked in conjunction with the Lions Club to host a most professional, yet engaging, ceremony. Mr Schrinner has become a fine young councillor whose enthusiasm and attention to detail are second to none.

This morning I wish to acknowledge a number of Australia Day Award recipients who were recognised locally for their significant contribution to the southside community of Bonner. Heather Barns and Pat Erskine are two outstanding women who have dedicated years of service to the community in a variety of different capacities. They not only are highly respected and admired in their own right but also have energised others, simply through leading by example. Named ‘Citizens of the Year’, they are certainly deserving of such a title and I commend them both on the proactive approach that they take in all matters.

Rodney Nott and Keith Bouchard were recognised as local ‘Senior Citizens of the Year’, and I take this opportunity to also commend them both on their service to the community. I have come to know these gentlemen well in the last two years and their commitment to assisting others makes them an inspiration to seniors and youth alike. Age is no barrier to their involvement in the community and it is important that we continue to recognise and appreciate the amazing volunteering efforts of our seniors.

Brisbane’s southside is also home to many youth. Ms Sarah Joseph of Mansfield and Mr Nathan Appo of Mount Gravatt have played integral roles in supporting local youth and encouraging their involvement in both the community and worthwhile projects. Awarded ‘Young Citizens of the Year’, they too are deserving of thanks for their commitment to their peers and their local community.

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