Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I think I have just heard an advertisement for the union movement in Victoria!

I was most pleased recently to sponsor prizes at the Sports Shear Tasmania awards this year, because I know that wool is still one of our state's most important agricultural industries, and because shearers and woolhandlers are the backbone of the wool industry. The Shearer Judge of the Year award—which I was proud to sponsor—went to Jono Wilson, while the Woolhandler Judge of the Year went to Kylie Rigby from Fingal. Sports Shear Helper of the Year—sponsored by my colleague Mark Shelton, the member for Lyons in the Tasmanian state parliament—went to Greg Hazelwood of Oatlands. Other country Tasmanians who took out the top awards included Robert Glover from Bothwell, who won the State Champion Shearer ribbon as well as the Open Shearer of the Year ribbon, while Michelle Walker from Carrick won the State Woolhandling Champion ribbon and the Woolhandler of the Year award. Jake Goss from Campbelltown was named Champion Senior Shearer; George Higgins from Oatlands was Intermediate Shearer Of The Year—although, having seen George Higgins shear, I am not sure why he is in the Intermediate class; Sam Byers was awarded the Learner Shearer of the Year ribbon; and Frenece Banovich was named Novice Woolhandler of the Year.

135700 The Sports Shear awards are a wonderful annual recognition of Tasmania's gun shearers and those working hard to fill their shearing slippers. Australia may no longer ride on the sheep's back but, by Jove, the noble fibre that is wool generates so much wealth from farm to retail store. I am proud to have been involved in the industry for many years.

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