Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Hansard source

Attending recent Australia Day events in my electorate brought home why my electorate has the highest rate of volunteering in the nation. Nearly a third of my community regularly volunteer, compared with the Australian average of 19 per cent. I have no doubt it must have been very extremely difficult for my local governments in Mayo to select their Australia Day award recipients. I congratulate all those worthy nominees for their contribution to our community.

I would like to thank and congratulate a number of our award recipients across Mayo. The Mount Barker Council selected Brian and Teresa Johnson, whose efforts to turn their Echunga general store into a community hub led them to their recognition as Mount Barker Council's Citizens of the Year. Young Citizen of the Year was a Macclesfield teenager, Mahayla Rose, who has raised a staggering $15,000 for Cancer Council research in memory of her beloved nanna, Joyce, while the biennial Sculptors @ Crystal Lake won the Community Event of the Year, adding further to the artistic reputation of the Adelaide Hills.

The Adelaide Hills Council named Matt Thomas from Inglewood as their Citizen of the Year for his work at the Houghton Oval, and Isaac Tiney from Gumeracha won Young Citizen of the Year for his work on our local Anzac Day and Remembrance Day commemorations. The Beersheba commemoration event won Community Event of the Year—again, another terrific event.

Alexandrina Council named two citizens of the year: local health services hero Gwenda Knights from Strathalbyn and one of the founders of the Mount Compass Progress Association, Adrian Earl. Young Citizens of the Year were Destiny Brackstone from Goolwa and Darcy Springhall from Strathalbyn.

Last year, Lake Breeze Handpicked Festival and the Wildlife Rescue Centre at Goolwa won Community Events of the Year. Bob and Valda Finn of Hindmarsh Island and Brenton Smith received community service awards. In Victor Harbour and Port Elliot, Barry Fletcher was named Citizen of the Year—he's a Lions member there, while Benjamin Pettman was named Young Citizen of the Year. The Victor Harbour RSL Sub-Branch's Anzac dawn service was named Community Event of the Year.

The District Council of Yankalilla again had tremendous nominees, with Libby Edge winning Citizen of the Year and Nicole Filsell winning Young Citizen of the Year. The Second Valley Progress Association won an award for the memorial they did for their 100-year re-enactment of World War I. On Kangaroo Island, Joy Willson was named Citizen of the Year and Beth Davis received an award for exemplary service to our community. The Kingscote show is an event I never miss, and that was named community event of the year. Last but not least, the 15th Small Islands of the World Conference was accepted by council as Community Project of the Year. I am very blessed to have an amazing electorate with an amazing community.

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