Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge the success of Loxton's Longest Brunch. The event brought together 160 farmers, volunteers and local families for a long-table-style brunch, held on the main street of Loxton. Last Sunday morning, Loxton was transformed into a space of solidarity and support. Attendees took their seats shoulder to shoulder with primary producers whose work underpins the region, and they enjoyed some local food and drinks.

This fundraising event was structured in a way to ensure that all funds stayed in the community, via gift cards that were provided to primary producers for local stores—an acknowledgement that retail businesses also do it tough during drought. Together, the Loxton community raised an incredible $11,000 for primary producers who are living through the severest drought in living memory.

These events remind me, and should remind all of us, of what makes regional South Australia so special: strong communities, connected and resilient, punching on through tough times, with a deep pride in the land and the people that sustain us. So I congratulate the organisers, the volunteers and every attendee for making Loxton's Longest Brunch not just a meal but a meaningful expression of community strength in the Riverland region. I was shattered I couldn't be there. I love a brunch of any type, but I'm grateful my donation facilitated for five farmers to attend that meaningful event.

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