Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to inform the House of the very proud achievement of a local resident of Goldstein from the local Rotary Club of Sandringham who has been elected to be President of Rotary International, Mr Ian Riseley. Ian has been a Rotary member for 39 years and has served Rotary as treasurer, director, trustee, Rotary International board and executive committee member, task force member and district governor. I hope his success as Rotary International's president is glorious because, when it comes down to it, he has made an incredible contribution already—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am glad to hear that members opposite are getting excited, because it is going to be glorious, because the theme he has set for Rotary International for the next year is 'Rotary: Making a Difference'. Recently, he was quoted as saying:

Doing good in the world is everyone's goal. We must learn from the experience of the polio eradication program to maximize our public awareness exposure for future partnerships.

And he continued:

Governments see Rotary as positive representatives of a civil society.

I could not agree with him more. And he finished by saying:

We should work with them to advocate for peace and conflict resolution, just as we are advocating for polio eradication.

I want to congratulate Ian and the Rotary Club of Sandringham on behalf of all members in this House. It makes us so proud as Australians to see a fellow Australian take on the role of President of Rotary International.