Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to acknowledge and congratulate the Australian Red Cross on their 110 years of service. In my community, the Alstonville and Wardell Red Cross branches are foundation branches. The Alstonville Red Cross branch have supported local and overseas projects throughout their time. I'd like to thank and acknowledge all members of the Alstonville branch, including current president Colleen Shulze, secretary Carole Laskey, treasurer Marilyn Keevers and patron Joy Wicks. In acknowledging this executive, I acknowledge the executive over the last 110 years and the members over the past 110 years.

The Wardell Red Cross branch began a week after World War I was declared, with 105 locals quickly joining. They began with a 'cutting out' committee, where clothes were made and sent to frontline soldiers. Continuing these fundraising activities 110 years on, the branch has raised over $40,000 from many appeals—for defibrillators, for drought and bushfire relief and for overseas support for Nepal, Myanmar, Fiji and Indonesia. Again, I thank and congratulate the current executives: the president, Jeannee Spears; the vice-presidents, Ros Walsh and Jeannette Henwood; the treasurer, Paddy Goff; and the secretary, Jane Sproule. I also acknowledge all the executives and members over the last 110 years.

As I congratulate both of these branches, I'd also like to extend this congratulations to all the Red Cross branches in my electorate on their varying lengths of service, including Casino, Doubtful Creek, Jiggi-Georgica, Kyogle, Lismore, Lower Clarence, Woolgoolga, Yamba and Tuckurimba.

I'd like to acknowledge and thank John Gorrie from Grafton for his 55 years of service in the soccer community. John began refereeing in the Grafton area in 1972, at 33 years of age, and over the following 55 years John has refereed, coached and held administrative roles for many competitions. John is still refereeing every Saturday for the MAJOS Football Club Grafton, where he is life member, motivating younger players and supporting everyone with his incredible knowledge.

John is highly respected by the Grafton soccer community. Some of his achievements include refereeing in the 1996 World Fun Cup for the Supa Oldies on the Gold Coast, helping with the foundation of the MAJOS Football Club Grafton, where he is still active, and refereeing for the North Coast and Far North Coast premier leagues. I acknowledge John for his highly decorated and respected career in the world of soccer and thank him for his contributions to the soccer community. I know that John's family—his wife, Fahey, and his children, John, Maree, Paul and Mark—are very proud of him.