Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was my pleasure more recently to attend the Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley regional councils' Australian citizenship ceremonies and welcome Wright's newest Australian citizens. It was also a great opportunity to honour the outstanding achievements of local individuals and community groups who make such an enormous contribution to our region through the Australia Day awards. I offer congratulations to all the recipients. Thank you for your contribution to our community.

I make special mention of the Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley citizens of the year—Kim Crow and Adrian Shepley—for their contribution to their respective communities. Kim was recognised for her generosity and calm nature, for sharing her contagious enthusiasm with the community and for being a willing worker and leader. Kim was the first female first officer of the Beechmont Rural Fire Brigade and has been involved in numerous community groups in the district. Adrian is credited for his passion and his commitment to the local community through his contributions to various sporting clubs and the Laidley RSL, his tireless work as a bus driver for the Aged and Handicapped Association and his heavy involvement in the local Catholic Church.

I would also like to take this opportunity to place on record my empathetic support for maintaining Australia Day celebrations on 26 January. There may be other ways in which we can recognise and acknowledge the impact of white settlement on Indigenous Australians, including National Sorry Day and NAIDOC Week. I suggest that it would be better for activists to spend their time in trying to close the gap between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians on a range of issues— (Time expired)