Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The men and women who make up our emergency services are very special people. They're often called upon to put their own lives and wellbeing at risk to look after members of our community during times of emergency. I'd like to acknowledge two such people today, firefighters from Kyogle who have just retired after a combined 90 years of attending fires, road accidents and many other critical incidents. Bob Crawford was 21 years old when he took over from his father, Tib Crawford, as the captain of the Kyogle fire brigade. He was the youngest person ever to achieve this rank. Fifty-one years on, he is finally hanging up his helmet. As captain of the 15-member Kyogle brigade, Bob has attended many incidents and said he won't miss the 2 am call-out in the morning. In 2012 Bob was awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal by then Governor Marie Bashir as part of the Queen's Birthday honours list. I would also like to acknowledge fellow Kyogle firey 74-year-old John King, who is retiring after 39 years. I would like to thank both men for the service they have given to our community and thank also Bob's wife, Anne, and their children, and John's wife, Margaret, and their family. The families of both men have supported them in their role.

Artwork by seven Empire Vale Public School students will be showcased in Japan as part of an international art exchange program. The students—Lillian Tansley, Molly Walsh, Tayla Unger, Hien Ho, Erin Green, Sally Crethar and Fletcher Tainsh—created artworks which included paintings, drawings, collages and digital media productions. Once they were submitted to the New South Wales Department of Education, along with other artworks from students across the state, they were chosen to be displayed in Nagoya, Japan, as part of an international exhibit. To prepare the students, art teacher Karen Rantissi encouraged the students to become involved in the Northern Rivers Community Gallery's 1000 Words creative writing art program. I would like to congratulate the great work of the students and the teachers in achieving this outstanding result.

You're lucky if you can spend five decades doing something you love, and that is exactly what 72-year-old Bob Lane from Casino has done. Bob has been calling the greyhounds continuously since 1967. Tomorrow this achievement will be recognised with the Casino Greyhound Racing Club naming the 8th race in his honour—the Westlawn Finance Bob Lane 50 Years of Race Calling sprint. Bob was a member of the Casino greyhound community for 20 years and has had some luck in breeding racing greyhounds. I congratulate Bob on his achievement and thank him for his dedicated commitment to the greyhound industry in Casino and the surrounding areas. I'm sure Wendy and his whole family are looking forward to him spending more time at home.