Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Last month, I joined members of the local Greek community to celebrate 100 years of the Castellorizian Association of NSW.

The island of Kastellorizo in Greece shares a special place in the hearts of many in our community. You would notice that the traffic on the streets of Kingsford and Kensington isn't as cluttered and congested in July and August as it normally would be. That's because half of the population has gone back to the island of Kastellorizo, their homeland. Many migrated from the island after both World War I and World War II and settled in our community, and we're glad that they did. They established the association to help settle newly arrived migrants and to raise funds to support relatives back home.

The Castellorizian Club on Anzac Parade in Kingsford was a feature of that, and their notorious dinner dances, which brought members of the community together, are well known. Several prime ministers of Australia have visited the Castellorizian Club.

Castellorizo and the City of Randwick, where the association is situated, have a sister city relationship and are an example of the strong bonds that exist between our communities. Cazzies, as they're known in the local community, have enriched our community and made it a better place to live. I want to pay tribute to all of those who have volunteered through the association over the last century, and I particularly thank George Pizanis and Victoria Kazaglis Gallagher, along with members of the association, for maintaining such a wonderful community oriented organisation. Congratulations to the Cazzie Association for 100 years.

In terms of significant milestones, I want to congratulate Ian Davis for 70 years as a member of the Coogee Beach Tennis club and a remarkable 50 years spent coaching the next generation of tennis players. I joined members of the club last month to celebrate Ian's huge contribution to tennis in our community. He's an extraordinary individual whose dedication, passion and talent have left an enduring mark on Coogee and beyond. He's not just a coach. He continues to play and he's currently ranked No. 1 in the world for his age—a remarkable contribution to tennis not only in our community but across Australia and the world. I think of the countless individuals that he's mentored. A tennis coach isn't just a tennis coach. They're often a parental figure and a mentor for many young people in our community. It was a fitting tribute to someone who has dedicated his life to the sport.

The club is celebrating his past achievements while also looking forward to the future. The Ian Davis cup will be an annual event that will bring together coaches and club members in a friendly competition, and the court at the beach has been named in Ian's honour. Congratulations to Ian on 70 years of the Coogee Beach Tennis club. May your love for tennis continue to shine brightly for many years to come.

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