Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday night in this House, I was honoured to be named the Jeans for Genes Day Genie Member of Parliament for 2008 by the National Campaign Manager for Jeans for Genes, Julijana Trifunovic. I also take this time to acknowledge the other 55 MPs who worked so hard on Jeans for Genes Day to raise money for a good cause.

I once read a book called Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare. The prevalence of genetic disease in children hits at a rate of around one in 20 children, so it does not take much for every individual to either know someone with a genetic disorder or to know someone who knows someone with a genetic disorder. But what is key and critical is that the money that is raised by Jeans for Genes Day does make a difference. They have made some incredible advances through the years by supporting the scientists at the Children’s Medical Research Institute. The key and critical part of all this is that they are actually trying to cure the diseases or prevent the diseases before they occur in our children. That is perhaps the most important issue. This is a proactive measure that we are raising money for in an attempt to prevent children from growing up with these genetic diseases.

On 1 August last year, my team and I had the pleasure of driving some 150 kilometres up to Forster, on the New South Wales mid-North Coast, to join other local community members in a fundraising extravaganza on Jeans for Genes Day 2008. I appreciate the support of Bunnings Forster, who provided an outstanding facility, their outdoor barbecue area, where we set up a sausage sizzle. We cooked up a storm and sold over 200 sausage sandwiches for the kids. We were successful on the day, raising over $1,000 for a great cause. The atmosphere on the day was good. In fact, we received a lot of donations. When we ran out of products to sell, people were happy to make a contribution. I also had the support of Woolworths Forster, Baker’s Delight and Stockland Forster, which helped make the day the great success that it was.

I would also like to thank and make special mention of the people who assisted, including Michael Kreutz; the Mayor of Great Lakes, Jan McWilliams; Ross Presgrave; Lloyd Moffat, who sweated it out on a very hot day cooking all the sausages; Judy Wilkinson; my staff members Ben Gibson, Michelle Mexon and Michelle Moffatt; and Gary Hoson, who put the whole day together. We had so much fun that we are planning to do it all again next year. But next time we will do it on a Saturday rather than on a Friday—though Jeans for Genes Day is a Friday—because on the Saturday we will have more people we can sell sausage sandwiches to and raise even more money. I know the competition between MPs will be tight next year to become the parliamentary ‘genie’ of the year, but I am determined to win it.

Last week, I had an exceptional morning tea with a very wonderful couple. On 4 March, which is next Wednesday, Ken and Wilma McMillan will have been married for 70 years. Ken was 18 years of age and Wilma was 16 years of age when they formed a relationship which has lasted so long. In all of my time as the member for Paterson, on only one other occasion have I had the pleasure of sending a congratulatory message to a couple who have been married for 70 years. It is an amazing milestone to achieve, and I congratulate them.

Ken and Wilma are a beacon of light and an inspiration of hope for couples in the 21st century. What they share is an exceptional bond that has stood the test of time and has seen their relationship build from strength to strength with every year they have shared together. I congratulate them on reaching such a significant milestone and wish them every happiness for their future together. I asked Wilma what the secret to such a long marriage was. She said, ‘We’ve had a strong marriage because we believe in each other and we have trust in one another.’ With a chuckle, Ken agreed to this conclusion and added, ‘Well, to begin with, you have to be able to live long enough to reach the milestone, and then it’s a matter of sharing and not expecting too much.’ I wish them a very long and healthy life, and I look forward to joining them at future wedding anniversaries.