Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today we were joined in the parliament by the Council of Mayors of South-East Queensland. I take this opportunity to acknowledge Paul Antonio, Mayor of Toowoomba; Paul Pisasale, Mayor of Ipswich; Graham Quirk, Lord Mayor of Brisbane; Mark Jamieson, Sunshine Coast mayor, from the north coast; and Janet Holstein, representing Steve Jones, Mayor of Lockyer Valley.

In particular, I acknowledge John Brent, mayor of Scenic Rim, who held the Scenic Rim Business Excellence Awards at The Centre in Beaudesert the other day. There were a number of nominations received. We had 22 finalists in eight different categories, and the winners were declared on the night. The awards highlighted innovation, business excellence and good corporate citizenship.

The winners in the Business Innovation category were the Lime Caviar Company, which beat Beard and Brau farmhouse brewery to win. The Lime Caviar Company is run by husband-and-wife duo Ian and Margie Douglas, who operate a unique finger-lime plantation near Rathdowney. In the Business Marketing category, Jasmin Organics skincare and the Scenic Rim Robotic Dairy lost out to Nightfall Camp.

The Corporate Citizenship award was taken out by Camp Qld, an organisation which offers school camp facilities and activities on the banks of Lake Moogerah. They do an excellent job. Leanne Conoley began Camp Qld in 2006 after noticing there was no one-stop shop for school camps. Teachers are provided with all of the necessary tools to enhance their programs, including curriculum references, subsidies for students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds and all the necessary paperwork to make their camp experience enjoyable.

In the Customer Service category, Mountain Sanctuary B&B and Pethers Rainforest Retreat were beaten by Clouds on Beechmont. Wilson and Jazz Gaythwaite accepted the award on the night—well deserved. Clouds on Beechmont offers three accommodation options on the Beechmont Plateau, including Old Saint John's Church, built in 1932.

In the Environmental Sustainability category, Beard and Brau farmhouse brewery was victorious. The Tamborine Mountain brewery was originally founded by Chris Herring and Tanya Harlow in Adelaide, before they made their move north. The company emphasise sustainability, community and self-sufficiency in their brewing, and employ solar power and rainwater collected to create their range of beers.

Jade Matthews from Camp Qld took out Young Employee of the Year. Lisa Cash from Fit Up Fitness Gym in Boonah—Boonah's first gym, I might add—won Young Business Person of the Year, and we congratulate Lisa on her entrepreneurship. Encouragement awards went to Leigh Moana from Moana Marketing, a local marketing firm that specialises in providing affordable small business solutions; and to Andy and Toni Cooper from Valley Kitchen, a local restaurant in Kooralbyn which is a great meeting place for locals and serves a great selection of local foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Lihau Wong from Jasmin Organics skincare won Business Person of the Year. They were most gracious winners. There could not be more deserving winners. On the night, chief operations officer Gordon Chalmers accepted the award. Jasmin skincare was founded in 1999 and has been globally distributing totally organic, chemical-free skincare since 2003. Their head office remains on Tamborine Mountain, where many of the skincare ingredients are also farmed. Jasmin Organics also took out the Platinum Award, a well-deserved win.

I want to acknowledge the contribution made by the chambers of commerce in sponsoring the awards. The format this year was somewhat different and made for a most relaxed and enjoyable evening. To each of the nominees who put themselves up for consideration in each of the categories, I say thank you for your contribution to our community, thank you for the efforts that you make by employing our locals and thank you for the enthusiasm that you show in making our community of Scenic Rim a great place to live. To the Scenic Rim council: thank you so much for your support, your sponsorship, your drive and enthusiasm, and the vehicle that you provide for the chambers of commerce and these people to prosper. To John Brent, the mayor of Scenic Rim, who drives that community from the front and has no less than 34 years experience in local government: I commend you, sir.