Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to rise in this House today and acknowledge the work of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. In particular I would like to acknowledge the work and the presence in the House today of the CEO of the ARLF, Lesley Fitzpatrick, and take this opportunity to thank her for what she has done for the Australian rural leadership community. I am a graduate of the ARLF's Australian Rural Leadership Program, and I am very proud to acknowledge the impact it has had on me and my colleagues over 21 years of its operation in Australia. Not only has the ARLP produced great leaders; it has also supported the development, right across Victoria, of community based leadership programs. Over the past week, I have had the honour of talking to people from five of those community leadership programs in this parliament. I have taken the opportunity to encourage them to put their hands up and say yes to leadership—leadership in this parliament, leadership in their communities and, most importantly, leadership within Australia. In bringing my comments to a close, I say thank you to Lesley and to her staff and board, for all they have done to help make rural and regional Australia a much better place in which to live.