Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this morning to talk about the great community awards that we held in Fisher just last Thursday night. I want to make Fisher the place to be for education, employment and retirement. We held the most amazing community awards just last week and I want to talk a little about some of those award recipients.

The first recipient was the Fisher Educator of the Year, Simon Richardson. He's a teacher at Chancellor State College, and he leads a robotics program with the kids there at Chancellor State College. These kids have been off to the US. They've won Australian titles for robotics and, indeed, they've won a world title. This is all happening on the Sunshine Coast. Simon is an inspiration to all teachers; he's actually teaching other teachers around the country how to be effective teachers in the robotics sector. And all the while he's been doing this, he's been doing it with Parkinson's disease. I can tell you, Mr Deputy Speaker Irons, there was not a dry eye in the house when he received his award. Simon, you are an absolute legend and you're an inspiration to us all.

The next award recipient was the Fisher Student of the Year, which went to Tea Carter. She's one of the college captains at Kawana Waters State College. She's been described by her peers as an exceptional role model to the college community and one who is an absolutely tireless worker. Congratulations, Tea.

The Fisher Education Provider of the Year was won by STEPS Pathways College. Now, Mr Deputy Speaker, I can tell you as a father of a child who lives with disability that as a parent one of your greatest fears is: 'What will happen to my child when I drop off this mortal coil?' STEPS Pathways' program teaches young people in their 20s and 30s how to live independently away from mum and dad. Carmel Crouch: you do an absolutely sensational job. The work that you do is incredible for the disability sector. Thank you so much for what you do. Thanks from the disability sector to you and to all your great workers. You do a great job; thanks very much.

The Fisher Business of the Year was won by All Love Pest Control and Carpet Cleaning. Deb and Paul Warrington-Love had their son die of cancer, and so 10 per cent of the money that they make in their business they put back into that— (Time expired)