Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Kyogle is known for its community spirit, so when the 2015 Brown & Hurley golf tournament was played earlier this month it was no surprise that over 300 players came to support local charities. This year the tournament raised over $27,000 for local charities. The recipients were the Kyogle Lions Club, Kyogle SES, the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, Kyogle Golf Club, Northern Rivers Care Connections, Kyogle Youth Ventures, Jodie's Inspiration, Kyogle Preschool and Kyogle Citizens Brass Band. Jim and Clare Hurley ran this event for 40 years, but stepped aside two years ago and handed the reins over to Jim's brother, Kevin, who organises the event with his wife, Colleen. Colleen dedicated herself to the event, arranging great prizes and donations for the day. Many of the staff in the Kyogle office also generously gave their time to help make this event a success. Kyogle player Dave Walters claimed the overall honours this year, scoring 41. Other winners included Paul Hurley and Mary Garred on Wednesday and Laurie Tillman and Tracey Simpson on Thursday. Winners of the raffle, sponsored by Engel fridges and Xray Vision were Grant Trott and Barry O'Sullivan. I thank everyone who was involved in raising that money to help local charities.

Four girls from the Lower Clarence Rowing and Sculling Club have been selected to participate in a seven-day tour of New Zealand to compete in the Waikato Christmas Regatta on Lake Karapiro. Leaving Australia early next month will be Crystal Piper, Gemma Dane, Clare Samms and Teagan McFarlane, who are part of a team of 10 girls competing for the Commercial Rowing Club in combined crews. They will compete in three events of 2,000 metres. The Maclean girls have been competing in crews with the Commercial Rowing Club in the recent Tweed Heads regatta at Murwillumbah, with CRC member Peter Toon confident the tour will result in many top-three positions. The girls coach on the Lower Clarence, Harold Kratz, told one of my local papers—TheDaily Examinerthat it was an exciting opportunity for them to row against world class competition. He said:

It's a big standard, they're going up against some top New Zealand rowers of their age.

Mr Kratz is confident that after a successful afternoon rowing with the CRC the Maclean girls will come home with some podium finishes. While on their tour, the girls will visit the New Zealand High Performance Rowing Centre as special guests of the head coach of New Zealand rowing, Noel Donaldson, to experience firsthand the facilities used by professionals. Good luck, girls.

This weekend three young hockey players from Grafton—Michael Wright, Ellynie Cameron and Abe Herbert—will travel to Perth to play for the New South Wales Bushrangers team at an international tournament. The Bushrangers is one of the best development teams in New South Wales, taking the best players from across the state. Having been selected Michael, Ellynie and Abe will all receive their own unique number and will be able to play with the team until they turn 18. Ellynie, aged 15, plays locally for McAuley Catholic College. She played with the Bushrangers earlier this year when they toured Japan in April. Abe, 15, plays for Sailors under16s and was in the winning Grafton under 15s state representative team this year. He was named player of the tournament and was selected in the under18s New South Wales squad for 2016. He is now part of the Athletics Acceleration Program with Hockey New South Wales for 2015-2016. Michael, also 15, plays for City Bears under 16s, as well as C and B grade men's teams. He was also in the wining Grafton under 15s representative team. Both Abe and Michael were selected by team manager Brad Martin from the representative tournament played in Grafton earlier this year. I would also like to take this opportunity to mention Siobhan Hoy, who was also selected to play but due to health reasons is unable to. She toured Japan with Ellynie in April this year. I wish them all the very best.