Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to inform the House about the wonderful Sikh festival that is occurring in Woolgoolga from 14 to 16 April to celebrate Vaisakhi, marking the start of the Sikh year. It is the celebration of the establishment of the Khalsa order in 1699, making it a major event in the Sikh calendar. It is the first day of baptism as the Sikhs know it today. The festival also historically marks the beginning of the wheat harvest season. As part of the three days of celebrations, there will be a parade through the streets of Woolgoolga on Saturday, 15 April, blessing the town with Sikh scriptures. The large parade includes floats, men and women dressed in the traditional colourful dress of saris and turbans, and musicians and sword displays. The parade will finish at the Woolgoolga Beach Reserve, where the Sikh community will provide the wider community with a wonderful free lunch of Indian cuisine.

The organising committee of this celebration is the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple management committee. I would like to acknowledge the executive members—Jindertal Singh, Kulbir Singh, Joginder Singh and Malkit Singh—as well as other committee members. I would also like to personally congratulate the committee and the wider Sikh community on what is a very important and significant date in the Sikh calendar

I would also like to inform the House of some fantastic projects that are coming to fruition in the Bonalbo and Tabulam areas. Next month, on Saturday, 8 April, a bronze statue of a working dog will be unveiled as a tribute to Bonalbo and all the working dogs for the important role they play on the land. I would like to thank all those who made this tribute possible: Sharon Tucker, David Whitney, Michelle Malt and Todd Weston from the Bonalbo Show Society; Paul and Kerry Horne from the Dog n' Bull Hotel; Andrea and Michael Whitaker from the Bonalbo post office; and many other businesses within the town which helped raise funds needed on top of the $5,000 federal government grant. I would also like to make special mention of Fraser Ramsey who was very much involved in the project.

Also, this month I will be looking forward to attending the opening of the new bridge on Duck Creek Road at Old Bonalbo. The new bridge will be officially named McKee's Bridge and replaces an old timber bridge built in 1929. The bridge has been funded through our Bridges Renewal Program and is one of many bridges which have received funding in the Kyogle LGA.

There is more for Bonalbo. I am also very much looking forward, as I know Bonalbo residents are, to a new mobile phone tower which is going to be switched on this month. Telecommunications are an extremely important issue in Bonalbo, and the long-awaited tower is one of two towers planned for the area as part of our Mobile Black Spot Program. It will bring coverage to an area well known as a mobile black spot area.

There is more for Bonalbo. I am also this month very much looking forward to the Bonalbo and District Community Hall announcing a solar grant through our Solar Communities program which is going to help the hall reduce energy costs by installing solar panels. I congratulate Donna Van-Lewan, Darryl Melling, Vilya Detozser, Marion Conrow and Bill Mills for the work they do as part of the hall committee and the Bonalbo community.

Close by, in Tabulam, a new skate park is going to be opened soon as well. It has been identified as a priority for the youth of Tabulam and the district community. The community based Tabulam skate park committee led the charge. It resulted from a partnership between the community and the federal government through our Stronger Communities program and the Kyogle Council. It was developed in consultation with local youth. A sketch provided to Kyogle Council by Daniel Sorrenti was developed into the final design by the council, working with Daniel and two other locals, Anthony Staveley and Josh Campbell. I would like to acknowledge members of the Tabulam skate park committee: Deborah Stavely, Hayley Jenkins, Kelly Khelloul and Adrian Keef. I also acknowledge Frank Burgess and Warwick Jansen from the Tabulam and District Chamber of Commerce. I also thank George and Alison Martin from the Tabulam Hotel, Peter Cootes and Trish Martin from Tabulam Rural Agents, Ridley Bell from Mountain Blue, and Gordon Lemaire for their assistance with the fundraising. Well done to all involved in this fantastic project. I am looking forward to opening and starting all these projects this month.