Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to celebrate the recent official opening of the Kennedy retirement village. The village was officially opened on 16 March, and the Kennedy village is the product of an extraordinary act of kindness. Third generation Bombala farming siblings Herb and Laura Kennedy passed away within days of each other in 2014. They bequeathed a generous amount of land and money to the Bombala community to construct a retirement village. The Kennedy village is run by Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care and is located next to the Bombala Anglican church right in the centre of town. It has 15 two-bedroom single-storey villas to meet the needs of the community. It is incredible to see this community work supporting one another in Bombala. Vale to Herb and Laura.

I'm absolutely thrilled to share that the Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council has been recognised nationally, taking home bronze in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category at the 2025 Australian Tourism Awards. What an incredible achievement. After celebrating gold at the New South Wales Tourism Awards, this national honour is a massive achievement for the entire far south coast and the wider Eden-Monaro community. This award is testament to the hard work and shared vision behind cultural tourism experiences at Jigamy and along the Bundian Way. I want to give a heartfelt congratulations to the dedicated tour guides, elders, managers and partners. This recognition cements the far south coast as a growing destination for truly authentic Aboriginal cultural tourism.

I also want to rise today to congratulate Bente Hart of Braidwood for being named the 2026 New South Wales Pharmacist of the Year by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Bente is a credentialed pharmacist whose leadership, proactive approach to problem solving and unwavering commitment to rural and vulnerable populations have left a significant mark on the profession and the community she serves. Her outstanding work spans multipurpose services and residential aged-care homes, where she has led medication audits, supported national antimicrobial prescribing surveys and tackled quality improvement issues related to medications. These efforts have been vital in strengthening clinical governance and patient safety in rural health facilities. Bente is also dedicated to education, delivering training to nursing, medical and allied health staff to enhance medication safety and the quality use of medicines. She's played a key role in supporting pharmacists as they transition to new credentialing requirements for medication management reviews, ensuring that high-quality pharmacy continues to serve in rural communities. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Bente regularly volunteers at markets, offering health checks, medication advice and health education to community members. I'm sure the member for Dobell, a former pharmacist, joins me in congratulating Bente on this well-deserved recognition. You're an inspiration to us all.

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