Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Last evening, it was with deep sadness that I attended the vigil, along with 2,000 to 3,000 others, for Charlize Zmuda on her beloved Woorim Beach on Bribie Island's surf side. Charlize was a teenager who tragically lost her life from a shark attack on Monday. Bribie is renowned as a tight-knit community, and the vigil last night was no greater example of this island community's care for one another.

The lives of Charlize's parents, Steve and Renee, and her sister, Stephanie, will never be the same again. But I'm convinced the outpouring of shared grief and love from the Bribie Island community, her St Columban school and Bribie Island Surf Life Saving Club families has eased the unimaginable pain they would be enduring right now just that little bit by the love expressed on that beach last night, which was truly tangible. I thank everyone who came to remember, grieve with and support this beautiful family. The entire Zmuda family are part of the fabric of the Bribie Island Surf Life Saving Club. From Nippers to serving on the board, patrolling or representing the club at carnivals and competitions, this family has, for years, selflessly given so much to the club, protecting the lives of those who visit this piece of paradise in Queensland.

Yesterday, just one day after the tragic loss of his daughter, Charlize's father, Steve, was insisting that we all encourage people that they continue to come to Bribie—that it's a place that the Zmuda family have and always will love, despite the loss of their beautiful daughter. What remarkable strength. It is in these times that we rightly try and make sense of why a life such as Charlize's, from such a fine family, could be taken. Sadly, this is a question we can never answer. But to Steve, Renee, Stephanie, the two grandmothers I met last night and all the other family members and friends: in the future there will be many milestones that will be missed in Charlize's life, but I encourage you all, in these times, to focus on all the milestones you did celebrate—milestones like birthdays, that first step, first word, first tooth, first day of school, first Nippers carnival, the lead role in last year's performance of High School Musical and her high school formal, which was just last Friday night. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family and community as they grieve and endure this most difficult of times. May you rest in peace, Charlize.

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