Chris Hayes (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Saturday evening, I had the distinct honour to attend the annual presentation night for the Western Suburbs District Junior Rugby League. It was a fantastic night, attended by over 400 people representing every rugby league club within the district. The night was to recognise champions amongst the code. I had the very distinct honour to make a special presentation of the sports achievement award to a person nominated by the board of the junior league as having made an outstanding contribution to the code.

For the past 22 years, Paul Lake has been a dedicated volunteer to junior rugby league assisting children and their families within the community. In 1989, he was largely instrumental in forming the Western Suburbs District Junior Rugby League board and was subsequently appointed chairman of that board, a position that he held until 1999. His achievements and commitment to the sport and to the youth of the area were recognised in 1996 when he was awarded life membership of the Western Suburbs District Junior Rugby League.

Because of other commitments, unfortunately, he resigned from the junior rugby league in 2004, but nevertheless he had a very big year. Paul Lake was elected that year to the board of Western Suburbs Leagues Club as a director. He was appointed delegate to the Western Suburbs Leagues Club sports council. He was appointed to the board of Wests Tigers, which was the premiership-winning side in 2005. If that was not enough, Paul was also elected in 2004 as a councillor on the Campbelltown City Council, where, amongst other things, he continued to play a strong role in supporting the youth of our region and recognising the efforts of many volunteers who are the backbone of junior sport regardless of the code. He is also a delegate to the South West Academy of Sport.

In 2005, Paul Lake was elected Deputy Mayor of Campbelltown City Council. Notwithstanding that he had formally resigned from the board of the junior league, Paul still turned up on weekends to assist all those volunteers without whose effort local sport, particularly sport in relation to the youth of the area, would not take place. Paul Lake is a genuine friend to junior sport and all those who make it possible. To quote the words of the CEO of the junior league, Mrs Julie Luke, who nominated Paul Lake for the Australian Sports Achievement Award:

It is difficult to put everything down that Mr Lake has done and continues to do for the community of Campbelltown, but rest assured he is a man who we respect and he is our friend.

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