Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Congratulations go to Gympie Today photographer, Shane Zahna, who recently won the best sports picture, as well as being runner-up for the best news picture category, at the Queensland Press Association awards. Shane's photography perfectly captures the rich social and sporting fabric of the Gympie community. Shane has won the best sports picture category for four years in a row, which is an amazing achievement for a regional photographer who carved out his extremely successful career from its beginnings as a hobby.

As the chief photographer for the Gympie Today newspaper, Shane's photos showcase the highlights and joys of living in our beautiful region, and also the stark reality of life in a community impacted frequently by flood and a very dangerous highway. Shane's ability to document life's ups and downs, and to preserve meaningful memories and special moments alongside those times of hardship, is an important one for now and for posterity. His photographs capture perfectly the unique moments of life, ensuring that future generations have an enduring visual connection to the past.

I say congratulations to Shane; he's a great bloke. As a hobbyist photographer myself, he gives me a bit of advice; but he's not good enough to make me look good in a picture! Keep up the good work, Shane!