Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge and honour a group of people who have demonstrated what it truly means to live compassion and community. I had the privilege of opening the final demonstrations of the Pink Belt Dojo on Sunday. The event was run over Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. And, firstly, I thank the Richmond club for donating the auditorium for the cause. The club is very generous to many in our community.

The Pink Belt Dojo has been established to support martial arts families when they are facing difficult times. Three martial arts leaders showed what leadership is, having taken the initiative to support families in their community—families that lived and breathed every day with them. Wayne Abbott from Fighting Fit Martial Arts Centre at McGraths Hill, Daniel Spice from Hawkesbury Martial Arts and Glen Murray from the Universal Tae Kwon Do Federation did a phenomenal job. These three men, together with every participant and family who contributed to the two-day event, demonstrated the real meaning of compassion. They saw a need that required a response. Two families living within their community who were part of the martial arts family needed support. They took action and showed compassion, which is love in action.

The two days raised funds and embraced the Kabriel family and the Wright family. Mrs Jenny Kabriel and her family from Freemans Reach are facing the challenge following Jenny's diagnosis with stage 3 breast cancer. Her husband, Michael, and their three children, Tiffany, Tasman and Melanie, were present at the event. They did a wonderful job contributing. The family of Bridget Wright—many of us would have heard of the eight-year-old who lost her life when the tree branch at Pitt Town fell on her only a few weeks ago—was represented by Bridget's father, James Wright.

They were all honoured on Sunday and were presented with what is called a pink belt. They also acknowledged a young girl who had lost her father last year. The love and support was evident as each family was presented with a pink belt by a special guest, Mike Chat, an extremely renowned instructor from the US who again demonstrated compassion and leadership. His school in the US is a training hub for martial arts stunt actors. I would like to congratulate the three martial arts leaders as they came together, supported by a global martial arts leader, to support the Kabriel family and the Wright family. Compassion, love in action, was evident to all.