Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Australia Day I had the pleasure of attending two flag-raising ceremonies and citizenship ceremonies—one in Palmerston and one in Darwin. It was interesting to note that this year there were 88 new citizens making their pledges in Palmerston and 61 in Darwin. This is a point that Mayor Abbot was very proud of.

At both ceremonies a number of awards were presented, including, citizen, young citizen and community event of the year. The Darwin citizen of the year was Jane Lawton, a well-known, tireless campaigner. The young citizen of the year was Jeremiah Rasing, a very inspirational young man who will be someone to watch in the future. The Darwin community event of the year was the RSPCA's 2012 Million Paws Walk—an event that attracted hundreds of participants with their four-legged friends.

In Palmerston, the young citizen was Josh Fosdick, another amazing, community spirited young man who will be one to watch in the future. The Palmerston community event was won by the Senior Songsters, an amazing group of men and women who have been singing their way around Darwin and Palmerston for over 12 years. These men and women are aged between 60 and 80 and sing a range of songs, with the 1940s era being a specialty of theirs. I have seen them singing at a number of events, including at nursing homes, and they always bring a smile to people's faces.

The citizen of the year is a good friend of mine, Margot Cox. Margot is also a member of the Senior Songsters, and she was delighted that she was acknowledged as being in the Senior Songsters. Her expression when she was announced as citizen of the year was priceless. Margot, for over 20 years, has been volunteering her time on Saturday mornings at the Palmerston Shopping Centre community wheel, where she sells meat trays and has raised thousands and thousands of dollars, which is all distributed to local sporting groups, community groups and charitable organisations throughout Palmerston.

What was really great was that two of Margot's children, Roy and Janelle, who flew in from interstate, were able to be at the event to see their mother recognised by a grateful community—and they are a grateful community. Every Saturday morning you know that if you go to the Palmerston Shopping Centre you will see Margot there at the wheel, raising money with the meat trays. She does amazing things for the community. I know she had been nominated a number of times, but this year was her year, and people were just delighted. So, well done to Margot and well done to everybody else. It was a great day and it is wonderful that we have so many good people in our community who were recognised.