David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to congratulate Rob and Chris Patch from Kingaroy, who own the famous Peanut Van, for their business nous and entrepreneurship. The iconic Peanut Van sells 100 tonnes of peanuts grown in the South Burnett each year. Rob and Chris have created a new Kingaroy flavoured peanut product, which will be introduced in IGA stores across Queensland. If the Queensland IGA trials prove successful, Kingaroy flavoured peanuts could eventually go Australia-wide.

The Peanut Van is a great story of a small business doing heavy lifting. In the first year of operation takings were so low that Ruth Davis, the original owner, often only made a few dollars a week. In February 1969 her take-home pay for the entire month was $7.41. For the next eight years, Ruth never even made a basic wage. But Ruth had a vision, which has continued to grow thanks to Rob and Chris Patch, who took over the business in 1999. This new product and vision is testament to hard work and a great Queensland product. Now, Queenslanders will be able to go to their local IGA and grab a bag of one or all of their 10 popular flavoured brands.

The Peanut Van has already secured in excess of 400 tonnes of locally produced peanuts from Crumptons in Kingaroy, and its processing centre now has the capacity to cook and pack five tonnes of Australia's finest peanuts per day. The first IGA shipment was in fact 16.7 tonnes and took about four days to process. Rob, a lifetime peanut farmer who still grows peanuts on the family farm near Kingaroy, said he was very excited about the new range and looked forward to the customers' reactions.

I would also like to congratulate Mr Dave Carr on his 30-year teaching career in Maranoa, and particularly the last 19 years in Warwick. Mr Carr first came to the Southern Downs working at the Murray's Bridge State School. He taught across various Queensland schools before settling down with his wife, Sally, and starting his family. Mr Carr raised four kids, and those children went to both St Mary's College and Assumption College.

Mr Carr has been teaching at St Mary's in Warwick for more than 19 years. Mr Carr was quoted recently in a tribute article to him in the Warwick Daily News, saying that he loves Warwick—the country attitude, the good health and education, and the closeness to the bush and the beach. It is not just what he has contributed to the school; it is the whole Warwick community that has benefited from Dave and his family being in Warwick. Dave has a passion for the Warwick community, being a volunteer during his time in Warwick with Rosies Friends on the Street and being the coach of the Collegians football club and the under-43-kilo football team in Warwick. Above all, Dave has been an outstanding teacher at the school of St Mary's, which has ensured that the children of Warwick have developed into bright, capable young adults.

I wish Dave all the best in his new role—still within Maranoa, back in his home town of Charleville—and I look forward to catching up with Dave out in Charleville.