Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending three major events in O'Connor, spread over 1,250 kilometres.

On Friday, I attended the 107th Wagin district agricultural show. It is also the 44th year of its incarnation as the two-day Wagin Woolarama. It is one of the region's biggest events and was attended by over 22,000 people. While there, I visited the Himac machinery display to discuss with manager Darren Tindal his new training plans for his Albany based staff. Himac has been granted $29,000 in industry skills funding to upskill its workforce, which will be a great boost for Albany.

On Friday evening in Manjimup, I helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Warren district agricultural show. It was great to join the President of the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia, Dr Rob Wilson, in recognising the great work of local ag society members past and present.

Finally, on Sunday I travelled to the Central Wheatbelt for the opening of the Corrigin Recreation and Event Centre. The federal government contributed $500,000 to this project, but it is the Shire of Corrigin and the local community who deserve the greatest praise for stumping up over 60 per cent of the funding for this $6.93 million multipurpose facility. It takes a lot of fundraisers to meet that budget. A huge vote of thanks goes to the Corrigin netball, hockey, squash, football and cricket clubs, the Corrigin ag society, the Shire of Corrigin and the local businesses and community members who generously donated toward this great amenity.

The main function room at the centre—the Cyril Box room—overlooks the meticulously tended playing fields. There is a squash court adjoining the indoor netball and basketball courts, which open outwards onto a huge entertainment— (Time expired)