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

I'd like to congratulate the mixed 4s Iluka rowing team, who won their category at the Tweed rowathon this month. The crew were Ethan Davis, Duncan Fisher, Mitchell Johns and Kylie Duff, and Kylie was also the coach. Rosemary Bolton and Linda Kratzman, also from the rowing club, took part in the regatta, finishing fourth in their category of the masters female doubles. Well done to both crews. I also recognise the efforts of the executive: Betty Bogdenek, Julie Parlevliet, Catherine Scott and regatta secretary Brenda Loughman. Thank you to the coaches: Kylie Duff, Gayle Armour, Rosemary Boulton and Betty Bogendek for your commitment to the rowers of the Iluka rowing club.

I'd like to congratulate Sam Ticknor who won the New South Wales state junior longboarding and junior logger titles at the New South Wales longboard titles held in Port Stephens recently. Fourteen-year-old Sam lives in Evans Head and is in year 9 at the Evans River K-12 School. He's been surfing since he was nine years old, and is part of the Evans Head Half-Tide Boardriders Club and the Evans Head Over 8's Malibu Club. The competition in Port Stephens is the first time he has come away with a major title. It means he can now compete for New South Wales in the Australian Surf Festival, to be held in Tweed Heads next month. Sam will be competing against top surfers from across Australia, who have also won their state divisions. His dad, Rob, his mum, Dorothy, and his brothers, Charlie and Max, will also be heading up with Sam to support him when he competes. Good luck, Sam.

For nearly 40 years, Ann Spillane has worked diligently in the diocese of Lismore as a president of the volunteers who make up the Friends of St Vincent's Volunteer Service. Ann is also responsible for the management and staffing of the Catholic bookshop in Lismore and has set up the friends of the St Carthage's Cathedral. Ann's efforts were awarded with the papal Benemerenti Medal by the then Lismore bishop, Geoffrey Jarrett, in 2012. In the same year, Ann received the award Lismore Electorate Woman of the Year. In addition to Ann there are around 120 people who volunteer, some of them for a full 40 hours a week. To put a monetary figure on their value, that is about a $5 million contribution annually to our community. For Ann and her team, however, it isn't about money. The real message is about caring and for those patients in palliative care to be made comfortable all the way. I thank Ann and her whole team.