Ben Small (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today, I rise to commend two remarkable youth organisations in my electorate, the Bunbury Sea Scouts and the Bunbury Girl Guides, on achieving the truly extraordinary anniversary of 110 years of local operation. I was privileged to join Jaysen Miguel, the City of Bunbury mayor, at their respective halls in Bunbury to celebrate this momentous milestone. Such longevity comes from an unwavering commitment of parents, leaders and volunteers alike over decades upon decades, and we owe them a deep gratitude for the contribution that they've made through time to our local community. As a former sea scout who sailed in the United States representing Australian Scouts in 2007, I find the core objectives of these youth organisations—building teamwork, self-reliance, patriotism and citizenship in our community—more relevant today than ever. I congratulate the Bunbury Sea Scouts and the Bunbury Girl Guides on achieving a truly outstanding milestone.

In the heart of my electorate lies something very special indeed. The Ludlow Tuart Forest is the only remaining natural tuart forest in the world. The Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group is a group of individuals who've banded together to work tirelessly to ensure that this special part of the world isn't lost to history. A few months ago, I had the privilege to see the local group in action, so a special thank you to Des, Holger and Phil for welcoming me, for their time and for allowing me to understand more deeply the true scale of the work that the group are doing. To all at the Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group, thank you for the energy and passion that you bring to our community. Your tireless work doesn't go unnoticed.

I rise today to recognise and celebrate the amazing work of local star Alexis McDonald. I use the word 'star' very deliberately. In 2019, at just 17 years old, Alexis McDonald created the app HerHelp. It's a platform that serves as a safe and inspiring place for women to access support for issues such as mental health. The HerHelp platform now reaches millions and millions of users across the globe. In 2023, Alexis was a recipient of the prestigious Diana Award that celebrated these achievements. Not done yet, earlier this year she was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 list and, more recently, was announced as a 2026 Western Australian Young Australian of the Year nominee. Alexis, congratulations. Thank you for the important work that you do in our community and, indeed, across the world.

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