Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, IDAHOT day, is an important one in the Katoomba calendar in my electorate of Macquarie. IDAHOT day is celebrated on 17 May, marking the date in 1990 when the World Health Organization declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. This year, the guest of honour in Katoomba was former High Court judge and international jurist Justice Michael Kirby, accompanied by his partner of 48 years, Johan van Vloten. Under bright blue skies and surrounded by rainbow colours, former Justice Kirby reminded us that, while in Australia we have the ongoing debate around marriage equality, hate crimes against sexual minorities are still a fact of life in many other countries. I want to congratulate the Blue Mountains IDAHOT committee, including Kevin Hardwick, who had the foresight some years ago to send the invitation to Mr Kirby. This event was supported by a number of organisations, including PinkMountains, Thrive, PFLAG, Alphabet Soup Cinema, the Blue Mountains Women's Health and Resource Centre and the Blue Mountains City Council.

The inaugural Deerubbin Choir Festival was held last weekend in South Windsor. You knew you were in for a treat when then seven combined choirs sang Debra Jones's acknowledgement song. I had the pleasure of speaking of my experience of being part of a choir, at the start of an amazing afternoon of music. From the Macquarie Towns Choral Society, founded in 1948, to the Richmond High School quartet, who brought the house down but had sung together for only a few days, the singers brought a range of styles and ages to the stage. In a first, the Swiss Yodlers performed in the Hawkesbury, singing traditional folk songs, plus there was WomanSong, Stay Tuned, the Hawkesbury Song Company and the Chorella Community Choir. Congratulations to the choir organising committee—Anthony Linden-Jones, Helen Muir, Joy Wilson, Julie Langford, Liz Turner, Martha Allen, Sean Duff, Stacy-Jane Etal, Sue Hoare, Sure Rockwell and Suze Pratten—and MC Christine Paine. I look forward to many more Deerubbin Choir Festivals.

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

I thank the honourable member—sorry, I thought you had finished.

Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've still got a minute, Deputy Speaker! Greg and Ros Boscato are better known as the Hawkesbury Jaffas, a name derived from their original orange rally car, used to raise funds for the KidzFix Foundation. The foundation is made up of passionate individuals who run on a shoestring and raise money to improve the lives of sick kids. The linchpin is an eight-day car rally in September, this year from Ballina to Dubbo, where I am told dust and dirt are the order of the day for the new 'Maltese Falcon'. On Saturday night, Ros and Greg held their annual trivia night at Richmond Golf Club, and I have to say I think I had a bit of a head start in the photo round, with shots of Paul Keating, Peter Garrett and Tanya Plibersek, not to mention the man my electorate is named for, Lachlan Macquarie. Congratulations to a Hawkesbury couple who are single-handedly making a difference.

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

My humble apologies for that interruption. You take as long as you need next time!

An honourable member interjecting—

Yes, absolutely! I was generous in that space.