Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I had the great privilege of attending Greater Shepparton's SPC Business Excellence Awards last week. It was a great event that celebrated the entrepreneurship of the business community in the Greater Shepparton region and the Goulburn Valley more widely. I want to share with the House—with everyone—the names of some of the winners of the business awards.

Firstly, Watters Electrical, a famous company in Shepparton, which does great work, was inducted into the business Hall of Fame. Credit to all the team and the owner, Robin Knaggs. JMB Modular Buildings won the Excellence in Innovation award. James Lelliott from Goulburn Valley Health and Janica Mendoza from SPC tied as Young Professional of the Year. They're doing amazing work in the Greater Shepparton region. Sonia Strachan, the dedicated prostate cancer nurse at Goulburn Valley Health, won Excellence in Customer Service: Professional Services. She's been doing amazing things, helping people who are going through the prostate cancer process. Flavorite Tatura won Excellence in Food and Agribusiness, a great grower of greenhouse tomatoes and other vegetables. Greg Pearson Building and Brett Collins Refrigeration tied for Excellence in Customer Services: Trade Services. I used Greg Pearson Building for a renovation a number of years ago and it was a wonderful experience. It's a great local business. The Museum of Vehicle Evolution, MOVE, won Visitor Experience of the Year. If you want to see a great display of trucks and buses, go to MOVE in Shepparton. Elsewhere at SAM, at the Shepparton Art Museum, won Excellence in Customer Service: Retail/Hospitality Services. Trelly's Outdoor won the Best Marketing/Advertising Campaign. Everyday Supplies won Excellence in Business: Retail Services. GAME Traffic & Contracting won Excellence in Business: Trade Services. A wonderful local marketing company called So Creative, Olivia and Steph, won the Excellence in Business: Professional Services award, and they do an amazing job. Tricon Electrical Group won Emerging and Micro Business of the Year, and Xavier Hutchison from SPC won Apprenticeship/Trainee of the Year.

These businesses and people are really what makes the Goulburn Valley tick. We're very proud of our entrepreneurial spirit. We're proud of the people who get out there and have a go and use their creativity, their skills and their education to try to drive business forward. There were many nominees and all were deserving, but the people I've just mentioned were the winners.

I think we need to do more to acknowledge our small businesses and our businesses in the regions. They really do drive our economy along, and it's wonderful, particularly, to see young people who are starting businesses or getting involved in businesses—like Xavier Hutchison, starting out his apprenticeship at SPC—get the recognition they deserve.