David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Hansard source

The St George Creative Art and Craft Centre is a really special place in the Banks electorate. Based in Penshurst, the centre has been there for more than 50 years. During that time, tens of thousands of local residents have learned about the joys of art and the creative capacity of art and, in the process, have made friends and made our community a stronger place.

Last year, Georges River Council proposed an expression of interest process for the site at which St George Creative Art and Craft has been based for more than 50 years, paying a peppercorn rent. It was wrong of the council to do that; they shouldn't have done that. The centre—led by its president, Gilbert Sant, and so many other passionate supporters—rallied against that. I was proud to be able to support the centre, and I was very pleased that the council saw sense and has renewed the lease of the St George Creative Art and Craft Centre. There is nowhere like it in the St George region. It's a special part of our community. To Gilbert and everyone who makes the centre what it is, thank you so much for what you do, and may there be at least 50 more years to come.

Mortdale Physie is an institution in our community, and Nola Heller has been teaching at Mortdale Physie for more than 60 years. Nola has been teaching at Mortdale Physie since President Kennedy was in office, and the passion that she brought in the sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties, 2000s, 2010s she still brings today. It was great to visit on 7 May to see Janyne Walker, the secretary, and so many other members of the committee and people who are participating in the classes. We need to get that hall cleaned up. It's not quite in the condition it should be, and I look forward to the council assisting with that. To Nola and to everyone at Mortdale Physie: thank you so much for what you do.

Georges River Softball is one of the strongest softball organisations anywhere in Australia. On 26 April, I attended their annual awards. It was great to see Daniel Russo, the president, and so many other members of the committee and present a number of Banks outstanding sporting achievement awards to: Myles Beale, Jet Nguyen, Skye Davison, Lexie Rare from the United Softball Club, along with Harrison McDonald and Rylan Moore. Dylan Raven, Dax Clarke and Mitchell Jones from Illawong Softball Club, and Layla Morgan, Hayden Russo, Mason Boys and Elliot Bottaro from State Christopher's Softball Club were all acknowledged because of their great sportsmanship and great play at Georges River Softball.

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