Wednesday, 1 November 2023

 Steve McGHIE (Melton) (10:06): Over the last week I attended the Melton fire brigade and Eynesbury CFA annual awards night. Both were fantastic events to celebrate some of our incredible community members and the vital services they provide. Being a part of the CFA, their role as first responders is one that is often thankless. They attend cases for every single Victorian on their worst days. I would like to personally thank the entire Melton CFA branch for their dedicated service to our community and Melton CFA captain Justin Rees for his leadership. The service awards are a testament to their dedication to community.

Special congratulations to the Melton five years of service recipients: Troy Davis, Lorelei Geysing, Nathan Geysing, Devante Johns, Jamie Millington, Ebony Falzon and Manaia Robinson. I also congratulate Jacob Steele for his 10-year medal and Bailey Rhodes and Simon Vamplew for their 15-year medals. And special mention to Jeff Goudie for his national medal and Blair Dellemijn and Bryan Sliwa for their national medals first class. Elizabeth Marshall was acknowledged for her 40 years of service – amazing – along with Mary Dodemaide for 50 years and her husband John Dodemaide and Barry Mattinson for their 55 years of service.

I also attended the Eynesbury CFA awards where there were various awards presented, including for five years service to Nab Khoda, Ben Mulheran and Kate Mulheran; for 10 years service to Phil Bowden and Meghan Willingham, and to Brendan Gillespie for his 20 years of service. I also congratulate Kim Briggs, Ben Greene, Jason McEgan and Garrick Oates for their individual awards on the night, and of course the junior squad members were fantastic. I thank Kylie Newton, the captain of the Eynesbury CFA.