Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise this evening to discuss a matter that I spoke about recently in a condolence speech in this chamber on the Queensland flood victims. During that particular speech I raised the matter of an event that was held at Club Pine Rivers and which I was principally involved in. The idea of the event commenced when I contacted the club’s CEO, Wayne Moffatt, in mid-January, requesting that they be involved in an event to raise money for the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal. Despite the lack of time, with 10 days notice for the event to be held on Sunday, 22 January at the club, the enthusiasm and the commitment was really overwhelming. What started out as a basic sausage sizzle grew into a massive event, pulling in sporting identities, local and state parliamentarians and The Veronicas, who all attended to support Queensland flood victims.

State member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male, councillor for the Moreton Bay region Mick Gillam and I got behind the event and helped with auction items, advertising, marketing and the sausage sizzle. A number of athletes also generously donated their time on the day. They included Tonie Carroll and Matt Gillett from the Broncos Rugby League Club; Daniel Rich from the Brisbane Lions AFL club; legendary jockey Larry Cassidy; and Olympic swimmers Melanie Schlanger, Jessicah Schipper and Chris Wright; along with Australian softballer Jodie Bowering. Mick Hancock, Mick De Vere and David Nelson also made valuable contributions and wanted to be there but unfortunately had other commitments.

The athletes made themselves available to sign autographs and do whatever it took to help raise funds. In addition, anyone was able to challenge any of the athletes for a gold coin donation throughout the day to play a number of games they had arranged. People challenged Tonie Carroll to pass the ball and take on Larry Cassidy at Texas Hold ’Em. Additionally, bowls were played with Matt Gillett, darts with Jessicah Schipper, miniature golf with Jodie Bowering, and foosball with Chris Wright or Mel Schlanger. All of the athletes were very generous with their time, and a special mention must go to the members of the Olympic swim team, who not only stayed all day but donated $500 of their own money to the cause. Funds were raised by ways of donation boxes set up throughout the club, raffles every hour and a monster auction at the end of the day. All prizes were donated by individuals or the club and there were no reserve prices on anything. There were some really good bargains in the auction.

On a day with many highlights, it must be said that The Veronicas were the big drawcard. I could not believe at the time of my initial contact with their manager, their brother, Julian Origliasso, the willingness and the generosity shown by them. It was overwhelming. What started out as an agreed 1.5-hour visit from 4.30 pm turned into an extended stay until 9.30 pm. Plenty of people turned up to see them, and they stayed and signed every autograph for and took pictures with everybody who wanted one. They brought prizes for the auction and were even generous enough to agree to be auctioned themselves, for a dinner with them on a particular night. That auction went for around $500, and Lisa and Jess also took to barefoot bowling and showed plenty of ability on the greens.

There were too many volunteers on the day to mention them all individually, but my thanks go to the wonderful staff of Club Pine Rivers who volunteered, along with plenty of members who helped them out. Club corporate partners were also enormously generous not only with donations but also with their time. Genesis Fitness Club, Lawnton; Drummond Golf, Lawnton; Harvey World Travel, Strathpine and North Lakes; Village Motors, Petrie; WOW Sight and Sound from Rothwell; Terry Orreal’s Quality Meats; Westpac Bank and Super A-mart, Lawnton, were fantastic with their efforts. In addition, assistance came by way of donations for raffles from contacts I had made personal requests to, including Terri Irwin from Australia Zoo; Sonia La Penna from Supercheap Auto; Coffee Club, Strathpine; Wendy Cooke from Campbells Cash and Carry, Maroochydore; Cecil Fernandes from IGA; Raj from Baskin Robbins, Kedron, and Kevin Boland from SPM Group. Notwithstanding all that the club had already done, it went further by matching dollar for dollar all donations made through the barrels and donation tins on the day.

Charity support to local communities is nothing new for Club Pine Rivers. The club has supported, and continues to support, many charities over the years. It also tries hard to support as many sporting organisations and other worthwhile causes as it can. Examples of these are the Queensland Ambulance Service, the Salvation Army, Clubs Smile for a Child, Rapids Baseball, Pine Rivers St Andrews Hockey Club, Strathpine Little Athletics, the Endeavour Foundation, Mount Olivet Crime Stoppers, Bray Park-Strathpine RSL sub-branch, the Mater Hospital and many local schools and community groups. Over the past years Club Pine Rivers has raised over half a million dollars for community organisations. All these examples demonstrate why clubs like Club Pine Rivers and its executive need to be supported as pillars of our society.

Many things in life can make you proud to live where you live and be who you are. Being part of a response like that to the floods in Queensland—talking with victims, in their demolished homes sometimes or over the phone, and assisting them in various ways—has to be one of the best things you could do as an Australian. The same Aussie spirit I saw firsthand, shown by the countless volunteers helping out in those flood ravaged areas of south-east Queensland, was the same spirit I saw alive and well at this fundraiser at Club Pine Rivers.

The desire to help with fund raising is widespread in our neighbourhoods. I have now lost count of how many events I have been invited to and have attended. I know the generosity to help your fellow human beings will continue for a long time. Some examples of events I have been to recently or are about to go to have been at the Sandgate PCYC, which was organised by the local state member. There is an event at the Queensland Multicultural Council this Saturday night in Oxley, which was an area that was devastated by the Brisbane floods. Just last night, I attended a function, with other senators and members from Queensland and Victoria in the members dining room here in Parliament House, receiving a cheque for $2.2 million from a Taiwanese organisation—a clear demonstration of their commitment and the worthiness of those sorts of donations that are coming through. Not long after the flooding in Brisbane, Deen Brothers Earthmoving went out in their earthmoving equipment. Habib Deen tells me that he and 40 volunteers from the Islamic Council of Queensland used both earthmoving equipment and human labour to help the Brisbane flood cleanup.

All this goodwill clearly demonstrates that the opposition’s arguments in debating the flood levy bill, with regard to donations and donations drying up, were clearly vexatious. In closing, I acknowledge those from Club Pine Rivers: President Bob Ebborn, CEO Wayne Moffatt and all of the executive and staff for their amazing efforts to raise money for Queenslanders in so much need. Their example again demonstrates why we should support community clubs like Club Pine Rivers who give so much back to their community.