Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The first weekend of September in the township of Beaudesert is always marked by the local show or, as the locals call it, the country Ekka. This year, they proudly celebrated their 121st birthday—a remarkable achievement. I had the opportunity to go to the show, and one of the first pavilions I walked into was the pavilion which probably takes dominance in front and centre of the show. It is the horticultural pavilion and is donned with roses, orchids and different types of flowers. There are an enormous number of youths who send in these creative horticultural inventions that they put together that can look like animals. It is quite remarkable. But at the centre of the horticultural pavilion is a lady by the name of Elva West. In talking to Elva I found out she has been the head steward in the horticultural pavilion for no less than 20 years—a remarkable contribution. When I had the opportunity to speak to Elva at length and congratulate her on her 20 years achievement, she was very quick to inform me: 'Oh, no, I have been the head steward for 20 years. I had served for another 20 years before that in this pavilion as an assistant.' I said, 'So 40 years contribution?' and she said, 'Yes, and prior to that my father was a steward here but he wasn't in the horticultural pavilion; he looked after the pigs.'

See this speech in context