Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During the summer parliamentary recess, Gippsland lost a giant and I lost a dear friend. Richard Rijs was a business visionary, a pioneer, a great family man and also an incredible community leader in the region of East Gippsland.

The Rijs family's story is quite remarkable in Australia today. A family owned cake shop in a little town called Lakes Entrance, it grew to become the biggest bakery in the world—quite an incredible achievement by the Rijs family. Patties Foods at Bairnsdale actually own the iconic Four'N Twenty brand and have built a workforce there. There are now more than 500 people based in that regional location. Richard and his brothers grew the company to be the biggest private employer east of Traralgon in my electorate.

Richard was a huge supporter of community activities as well as being an incredible businessman. Richard's contribution to my community extended from support for our local surf lifesaving club to helping with the establishment of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, and also nurturing and mentoring other businesses in the community. He was a very generous man and one who made an enormous contribution not only through his activities in the business community but, obviously, through his activities throughout the broader region of East Gippsland.

My thoughts are certainly with Richard's wife, Marlene, and their children and grandchildren, and I extend my condolences to all who knew and loved a quite outstanding Australia. Vale, Richard Rijs.