Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to acknowledge Garry McGrath, from Casino, who is retiring after more than 42 years of owning and operating Garry McGrath Car Sales. Garry left school at the age of 15 for an apprenticeship to become a mechanic and in 1972 made the switch from mechanic to car salesperson. He started his own sales yard in 1979. Garry was also a founding member of the Casino Car Club. It is interesting to note that the other founding members include Matthew McDonald, the late Noel Murphy and Bill Watson, David Lindsay, John and Ron Frogley, Patrick Vogt, Doug Roche, John Morrissey, Bruce Yates, John Groves, and Angelo and Tilly Gava. The club started as a road safety initiative. In 1981 Garry helped to start the Show n' Shine Car Show at the Casino Beef Week. He and his wife, Cheryl, were married in 1974 and have been business partners for all that time. They have two children, Melissa and Matthew, and three grandchildren, Hugo, Fletcher and Stirling. Garry, I thank you for your service to our community, and I wish you and Cheryl all the best in retirement.

Yulgilbar Station is located near Baryulgil on the beautiful Clarence River and has a long history in our region's agriculture. Yulgilbar is a name used by the local Indigenous people that means 'a place of little fishes'. The property today is home to 7,700 cattle on its 35,000 acres. The property has been in the well-known Myer family for more than 60 years. Today I would like to acknowledge Rob Sinnamon, who for the last 20 years has been the general manager of Yulgilbar Station. Rob and his supportive wife Lorraine have been fantastic leaders in the beef industry in our region and are moving on to pursue their own interests. Rob will continue to sit on the board of the Casino Food Co-op and expand their own pastoral holding in Kyogle. Station overseer and long-term employee Brett Ellem is going to step into Rob's role, with Peter Hay as the farming manager. Congratulations, Rob and Lorraine, and the best of luck with your future endeavours.

I'd like to acknowledge Michael Moffett, or Moffee, as he's fondly known in our community. Moffee is the morning presenter on Triple M Coffs Coast and was recently announced as a finalist in the Australian Commercial Radio Awards. He has been nominated for the best entertainment presenter category. He is also a finalist in the best station promotion category for Moffee for Breakfast when he broadcast live from London. As part of this he travelled to London to broadcast his show from the Strand Palace hotel. He was on the streets of London daily to record the content of the program before broadcasting live from 9 pm to midnight London time. The awards will be held early next year. Good luck, Moffee.