5978 [ASSEMBLY - Thursday, 27 September 2007]

5978 [ASSEMBLY - Thursday, 27 September 2007] ESPERANCE BOWLING CLUB Statement by Member for Roe DR G.G. JACOBS (Roe) [12.50 pm]: I had the privilege to attend the opening of the two new synthetic greens at the Esperance Bowling Club on the weekend. The opening was conducted by the Esperance Bowling Club president, Mr Peter Birch. It was indeed also a privilege to participate in putting the synthetic greens to the test. Not being a bowler, it was indeed a challenge for me. The ditch was always a problem to me and so was the bias on the bowl. I commend the members of the Esperance Bowling Club and the visiting bowlers from the district, as well as the zone president and the Bowls WA representatives. The magnitude of the project was huge. Much work was voluntarily committed by Mr Buck Rogers and his conscientious band of workers. Mr Rogers was presented with a special award later that evening at a dinner. He was instrumental in obtaining sources of funding, including $11 000 from the shire and $50 000 from the federal government. There were also 26 guarantors to raise a total of $600 000 for the project. Sadly, there was no contribution from the state government. The cost savings to water and greenkeeping will be realised over time. I congratulate the Esperance Bowling Club, the community and Mr Peter Birch and his committee for their pioneering vision in meeting this challenge, which is a recurring theme in Esperance. The synthetic greens will be a great asset to our town. GEELONG FOOTBALL CLUB - 2007 PREMIERSHIP Statement by Member for Perth MR J.N. HYDE (Perth - Parliamentary Secretary) [12.52 pm]: As the member for Perth, I am privileged to have many minority groups within my electorate. As MPs it is important that we do not forget those who are shunned by the majority; those whose minor victories in life do not appear on the nightly WA news or in our social pages; those who do not enjoy the successes of the majority. Today I would like all members of the Western Australian Parliament to show their support for a particular minority group in the Perth electorate. Though small in number, the group has suffered derision, known the pain of injury and been unfairly treated by the majority. Geelong supporters have been a persecuted minority in the WA community for more than 44 years! Great Western Australians have worn the blue and white hoops of the Geelong Football Club: Polly Farmer, John K. Watts, Dennis Marshall, John O’Connell, Peter Featherby, Gary Malarkey, Brian Cousins, Brian Peake, Ronnie Burns, my cousin Mark Bairstow, and, this year, Joel Corey. My own father played in the winning 1951 and 1952 premierships for the Cats. As the only regional team in the AFL, Geelong deserves the support of all Western Australians. We are Geelong, the greatest team of all! Go Cats! SHIRE OF SERPENTINE-JARRAHDALE - RETIRING COUNCILLORS Statement by Member for Serpentine-Jarrahdale MR A.J. SIMPSON (Serpentine-Jarrahdale) [12.53 pm]: I rise today to acknowledge three people who have given their time as councillors for the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale. As members know, local government elections are coming up on 20 October. At that time three of the councillors are retiring. Athol Wigg has been an elected member for the south ward of the shire. He was first elected in 2002. Athol has been a great supporter of the Serpentine-Jarrahdale Landcare centre and the Serpentine-Jarrahdale grammar school. He has also been a resident of the area for some 56 years. I hope he will remain a resident for a lot longer to come. We will miss his sense of humour on council. The other councillor is Joan Scott. She was elected in 2001 and has represented the Byford ward. She has been a good supporter of the Byford Townscape Committee, the Byford Progress Association and Armadale Home Help. She will be sadly missed. Last, but by no means least, is Jan Star, who has been on the council for 27 years. She has been a great supporter of the environment as well as the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale. She received an Order of Australia medal for service to local government in 2002. She was an inaugural state councillor of the Western Australian Local Government Association. She is also a councillor delegate to the Western Australian Local Government Association, Peel zone; and a council delegate and chair of the Peel Harvey Catchment Council. In addition, she is a council delegate to the Darling Range Regional Park. I cannot read out all her achievements over the past 27 years, but it is a long list. I thank those three people who have given their time to the council. I know their achievements are well and truly appreciated by the community. I wish them well in their future endeavours. MS NATALIE HALES Statement by Member for Southern River MR P.W. ANDREWS (Southern River) [12.55 pm]: I wish to acknowledge the work of one of my constituents, Ms Natalie Hales, who is a clinical nurse in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital’s neurosurgery ward and .

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