Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to congratulate the Clean Energy for Eternity movement, a wonderful movement in my electorate of Eden-Monaro. They have done such a great job in raising awareness of climate change. They recently won the environment and landcare category in the 2008 New South Wales-ACT Regional Achievement and Community Awards, which were announced last Saturday. The award judges recognised CEFE for their catalytic role in inspiring community action on climate change. The organisation have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing innovative local solutions to a global challenge that is now recognised as a major risk to the security of people around the world. The team have done a great job of signing up many of the shires in my electorate and of uniting the community behind this great climate change issue that we face. This follows the signing of a funding agreement, on 5 November, to provide $100,000 for the feasibility study to establish a solar farm project in the Bega Valley area.

I am proud to say that this was the first project under the government’s $19 million Green Precincts program. Should the feasibility study pan out it will be followed by a further $1 million commitment from the government under the Green Precincts program to create a one- to two-megawatt solar farm in the area which will provide sufficient energy to power 1,000 homes. This is a great tribute to the hardworking team of Clean Energy for Eternity, and I am proud to have worked with this wonderful team.

I would also like to draw attention to the recent tragedy that was suffered on the South Coast with the loss of Shane, Riley and Travis O’Neill. As everyone knows, this was a heartbreaking situation and is the subject of inquiry at the moment. I would like to highlight the wonderful bravery of Mr Rob Brown, who dived in with no regard for himself to rescue these three unfortunate members of our community in the valley. I would also like to highlight the heroism, commitment and professionalism of the paramedics, the police and the surf lifesavers who also rendered wonderful service to the community in their efforts to save lives and in fact were able to save Mr Brown’s life in that situation—14 degree water and terrible seas. So this is a salute to the wonderful people that support our community.

I would also like to highlight the wonderful effort the community has put in by binding together to heal the wounds of this terrible tragedy. It has committed over $70,000 so far to the fund that has been set up by Horizon Credit Union. This really demonstrates what a tightly knit community it is. We are all pretty much related to each other in the Bega Valley and it is wonderful how we do bind together in these times of crisis. We have certainly been tested in recent times by a number of tragic situations. The community will get through this as they always have and I salute the spirit of that community and the services that support it.