House debates

Thursday, 17 March 2016

Statements by Members

Flocchini, Mr Breese, Turnbull Government

1:53 pm

Photo of Kevin HoganKevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Fourteen-year-old Breese Flocchini is a good bull rider—so good that he is going to represent Australia at the National High School Rodeo Association's bull-riding finals in the United States. This year, the finals are being held in Tennessee. Breese will be going there with his mother, Sarah, and his father, Dean. To qualify, he won the under-16 section of the Kyogle Bull Ride Spectacular and won a competition in Tamworth. He practises with his cousins Beau and Dillon. Breese is the first Aboriginal young person to qualify and compete in the international arena in bull riding, and I wish him all the best.

Representing my community in this place is something I love and take seriously. I am excited about the prospect of continuing in this role if the people in my community are kind enough to put their faith and trust in me again. We have done much. There has been record spending—the Pacific Highway and local roads, the Casino saleyards, Kyogle bridges, Harwood sugar mill, Lismore art gallery and much more. All these have a focus on job creation so kids have job prospects in our community. We have seen off CSG in our region.

But for me as a member of the Turnbull-Joyce government there is more to do. I give this personal pledge to the people of Page: I will continue to stand up for our community, even if it means disagreeing with my own party, as I have done before; I will continue to work to deliver local jobs for local people.