Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to welcome to Canberra representatives from six of the 57 local government authorities that make up my enormous electorate of O'Connor. They're here for the National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association. I take this opportunity to congratulate ALGA vice president and WALGA president Karen Chappel on being made a Member of the Order of Australia in the recent King's Birthday Honours List.

I extend a warm welcome to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the shires of Menzies, Coolgardie and Dundas, from the Goldfields region; to the Shire of Narrogin, representing our productive Wheatbelt region; and to the Shire of Nannup, representing the magnificent South West of Western Australia.

It's been a busy week for all the delegates. One of the highlights of ALGA Week was the presentation of the National Awards for Local Government. I'm proud to acknowledge two amazing women from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Mia Hicks, director of community development, who is in the gallery today, and Lauren Chapman-Holle, manager of community development, who both won the Women in Local Government category for their outstanding leadership and mentoring of women in their workplace and the wider community. I congratulate Mia and Lauren on this well-deserved accolade and look forward to continuing to work with them on the many diverse and unique projects they deliver for the Goldfields region of O'Connor. Thank you.

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