Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

I have the great pleasure today to inform the House that Evie Wolfe turned 90 on Tuesday. Evie is one of those fabulous characters. Not only is she a fantastic supporter of mine, a community supporter and a tireless worker and volunteer, but she is also in the Australian Labor Party, and has been for a very, very long time. Evie is one of those fabulous people you meet in life who is forever smiling, forever wanting to help, forever bringing people together and forever bringing joy to all those around her. It is hard to believe she is 90 because when you see her and when you see her bubbly personality and the brightness she brings into a room, you would think she was a woman of a much younger age—which proves the old adage that age is in your mind only; age is how old you feel, not how many years of the calendar have ticked by.

Evie is not on her own; she is supported by a great bunch of ladies who themselves are not too far off 90. Some are a little bit younger. Ethel Murray is in her late 60s and another fabulous character. You hear about people in the community who do things, who volunteer, who are part of the fabric of the community. Certainly Evie and Ethel are such people, as are their good friends, Glenda, Adele and Patricia; they contribute to a community spirit. They contribute to part of something bigger than they are. It makes me enormously proud to know that they are there on every election date, whether it is state, federal or local; they are tireless. Do not ever dare say it is a hot day when you only have to work half a day, because they will actually scream back at you that they want to work all day. They have got this energy and vibrancy that, if you could bottle and sell it, would be priceless.

They are all well supported by a great bunch of guys in the area too, such as Jim Horsfall and Joe Barrett. Jim is no stranger to a few years. Jim is 86; he has a similar character: bubbling with energy and with love for his community. He volunteers every single hour of his day, every single day; he does not make any distinction between his time and community time. Whether it is with the Australian Labor Party or with the local ambulance committee, or with Scouts or with Neighbourhood Watch, he is volunteering. Whatever it is, these people are always there to lend a hand—people like Joe Barrett, people like Charles Strunk in the Lions, people like Les Bryant, who is a former local councillor in the area who continues to volunteer for the community. And there are younger people like David Tattersall, who just cannot wait to help others and to be part of something that is happening in the community; Barry McIntosh; Ross McKay, who is a teacher, a community worker and also a member of the party. There is one thing that strings them all together: they are all from my home suburb of Inala—and they are all fantastic people. (Time expired)

See this speech in context