Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the achievements of two very wonderful young people in my electorate of Stirling. Firstly, I would like to congratulate Lawrence Lee for being selected to play the violin for the 2012 Australian Youth Orchestra. Admittance to the Australian Youth Orchestra is highly prized, with over 1,000 applications received from around the country and only 300 places available. The Youth Orchestra will travel all around the country performing highly coveted shows which will be broadcast internationally via a live webcast. Lawrence will have the opportunity to play under renowned international conductors at some of the most prestigious venues around Australia. To be eligible for acceptance into the Youth Orchestra, each member must be under 25 years of age and have as a minimum standard the Australian Music Examinations Board grade 7, which is in itself an achievement. Lawrence plays not only the violin but the piano and has performed on Channel 7's telethon, at the RAC Christmas pageant and with the WA Charity Orchestra, to name but a few. For any young musician to be selected for the internationally recognised Australian Youth Orchestra represents the peak of achievement in the field. Lawrence's selection in the Youth Orchestra is a result of his talent, hard work and dedication, which he has displayed since he began playing the violin at just three years of age. This is a tremendous achievement, and I wish Lawrence the best of luck with future performances.

I would also like to acknowledge another young person in my electorate who is displaying enormous talent, Sally Cream. Another young achiever, she received a Local Sporting Champions grant for $500 so she could compete in the 2012 Australian Age Diving Championships in Adelaide. During the competition in April, Sally was awarded the national Australian age diver of the year for the age group 12-13 years and received medals for her excellent performances in the following diving events: gold for synchronised, gold for three metres, silver for one metre and bronze for five metres. This is a huge achievement, and Sally should be very proud of these results. Sally belongs to the Arrows Diving Club, which is the longest running and most successful dive club in Western Australia. Local Sporting Champions grants offer financial assistance to young people competing in state and national sporting competitions and can be awarded to both individuals and teams. It is great to see that Sally's hard work and dedication to her sport has paid off, and I wish her well in all her future endeavours.

We talk about the great achievements of young people, but it is also important to acknowledge the people in their lives who support and encourage them to achieve their best. I would like to commend their coaches, their mentors and especially their parents, for without them it would not have been possible for the children to attain such high accomplishments. I am sure both Lawrence and Sally will continue to perform at a very high level and set the finest example for other young people in the Stirling community.