Casey Community Awards
Pauline RICHARDS (Cranbourne) (10:02): I was delighted last week to join with the member for Narre Warren South, the member for Narre Warren North, the federal member for Bruce, the federal member for Holt and Mr Galea in the other place at the City of Casey’s annual community awards ceremony, as well as others in the chamber. It was terrific to have the opportunity to congratulate people who won awards for their contributions to the community. I would particularly like to recognise nominees Helen Bell, Kristen New, Caitlin Frost, David Duncan, Alfredo Tilan, Kuldeep Singh, Sue Morris and Daniela Maslen, who have all represented the very best of Cranbourne in these past few years, and I thank everyone for their valuable service. Having extraordinary and hardworking members of our community is a source of great pride to me, and it is something that I love to celebrate.
I would also like to congratulate the Berwick Amateur Theatre Company for their nomination, the Casey Basketball Association for their work, the Gethsemane church charity and the U3A.
I would also like to say how pleased I am to say that Jo Ann Fitzgerald will make an amazing Casey Citizen of the Year and Tanisha Dooley will be a great Young Citizen of the Year. I congratulate Peter Cahill, Senior Citizen of the Year; Liesel Kippen, Casey Woman of the Year; the community group the Food Pantry from the Berwick Church of Christ; our environment champion, a special person to me, Melanie Bramble, someone who tells the story in an amazing way; and the Afghan Australian Philanthropic Association.