Damian Drum (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday I had the privilege of hosting representatives of the Committee for Greater Shepparton here in the parliament. The Committee for Greater Shepparton is the united voice of the region's business and community leaders, and its mission is to influence public policy, to advocate on issues to strengthen the economy and to make the region a more vibrant place to live. The committee is supported by over a hundred leading businesses, community organisations and statutory authorities from within the region.

Leading this dynamic group are the chair, Lesley Hart; and the CEO, Sam Birrell. With them were the mayor of the City of Greater Shepparton, Kim O'Keeffe; the CEO of the city of Greater Shepparton, Peter Harriott; from Gouge Linen, Rob Priestly; from McPherson Media, Damian Tresize; from J Furphy & Sons, Adam Furphy; Jane Macey from Spiire; Sonke Tremper from Primary Projects; Matt Sharp, the CEO of Goulburn Valley Health; Elizabeth Capp from La Trobe University; Professor John Fazakerley from the University of Melbourne; Peter Hill and Josh Kreskas from Kreskas Bros Transport; Lisa McKenzie from the Lighthouse Project; and Stuart Brown from Tatura Milk.

The committee had the amazing opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the ministers for immigration, agriculture, environment, education and regional services, and even some shadow ministers. I want to sincerely thank all these ministers who presented yesterday.

I congratulate the Committee for Greater Shepparton on the work that it is doing to make Shepparton a greater place to live right now and also into the future.