Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we come into Christmas, I'd encourage everyone in the Hinkler electorate to shop local. I went to my staff and said, 'If you're going to buy something for your special someone, where might you go?' I must say it's a very broad range. Nana's Pantry in Bundaberg with all of the things you would expect. Who could not buy something from a shop called Nana's? You can get everything from an air compressor to industrial paint at JA Toft & Co. Red Shed Seafood: get down and get your local seafood, your local prawns, while you can.

One of my personal favourites in Childers is Bucks Butcher Shoppe. At Bucks you can get a duck. Bucks ducks, good luck. Put them in your truck; they're that big you'll need one to take it away with you. There is Book Boutique Bundaberg, where you can also purchase vinyl records, and they have quite a good selection. There's Jake's Candy for those with a sweet tooth, and for my southern constituents—and there's a bit of a theme here—get out and try some minigolf. We've got a lot of minigolf in Hervey Bay. It's a perfect opportunity. Pie and Pastry Paradise is a well-known local shop where you can buy all the sweet things you might need for your Christmas lunch, and of course, there's the Hervey Bay Golf Driving Range.

Don't forget to utilise our local tourism facilities. We have Fraser Island, which happens to be in the member for Wide Bay's electorate, Llew O'Brien, but you launch out of my electorate to get there. You can get on the barge to Fraser Island from down at the point, on your way from River Heads, or maybe you want to get on a jet ski. That's another option you could take, and I suggest it, if you have the opportunity. So try to spend your money locally. We've got lots of local businesses who need your support.

Finally, I want to congratulate SSS Strawberries. This is owned by the Dang family, a local farming organisation. It stands for seven successful siblings. There are seven of them, brothers and sisters, would you believe. They grow 300 acres of strawberries. They employ 300 staff, and they've just opened a brand-new freeze dryer factory in Bundaberg. They can now freeze dry strawberries. So all their excess stock and stock that may not be quite perfect can now be turned into freeze dried strawberries. They can do up to three tonnes a day. Three thousand kilograms is a lot of strawberries, I've got to say. They are a well-known local family. They are significant contributors, particularly to charity, and they do a fabulous job. I want to congratulate them on this new facility in Bundaberg. Everybody knows SSS Strawberries. It's on the turnoff of Rosedale Road. If I could briefly tell a secret, it's actually in the member for Flynn's electorate but just! It's just over the boundary, so they do spend a lot of money in my electorate . They employ a lot of people, they've got a wonderful facility, they've got a great story and they're a strong part of the Vietnamese community. And I congratulate them again on investing in our local region and manufacturing.