Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge Jason May, a proud Wiradjuri man on the New South Wales Central Coast. Jason is the joint owner of Bawamarra Cultural Services in Lisarow, which has taken out the Indigenous business category award at the 2023 Innovate with nbn Grant Program awards. This is an outstanding achievement of this excellent service being provided by these cultural services. As part of this award, this business has been provided with $15,000.

Bawamarra Cultural Services provides individualised cultural holistic mentoring to children facing challenges, particularly children and youth in out-of-home care or those who have been involved with the justice system. I recently met with Jason and learned more about these cultural services and their work. Jason told me that the mentoring they provide to children and youth holds immense significance and can have a transformative impact on lives. On top of Jason's work with Bawamarra Cultural Services, he has been instrumental in establishing the Central Coast's Men's Wellbeing Circle and supporting mental health charities across Australia. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Jason and Bawamarra Cultural Services on this recognition and its outstanding services to the Central Coast.

I also want to commend Libby Naven of Erina Heights, who has been awarded a 10-year long service medal for her involvement with the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award. Ms Naven was recognised with this award at a special ceremony at Government House in Sydney, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Edward. The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is the global leader in the organisation and accreditation of non-formal education through its framework.

For over 60 years, this framework has been used by education providers and community organisations to accredit the non-formal learning outcomes and achievements of young people. The award, in Australia, started in 1959, and over 800,000 young Australians have participated since this award began. Ms Naven is involved with the Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club, where she connects the Duke of Ed award with young members of the club. The Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club is an outstanding surf club within my electorate of Robertson, and I know firsthand the commitment each member has to their local community.

I want to congratulate Libby Naven on this recognition and thank her for her decade of service to the Central Coast community, to the state of New South Wales and to Australia, and particularly for the nurturing and development of young people at the Wamberal Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Like I said, it's an outstanding surf club. We have many surf clubs up and down the New South Wales Central Club. Wamberal Surf Club sits in between two federal electorates—mine, in the south of the Central Coast, in Robertson, and Emma McBryde's, the member for Dobell, in the north. It's a surf club that takes in many people from our region. Again, I want to congratulate Libby Naven on this recognition.