Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Across my electorate of Paterson, small businesses really are setting and raising the bar. I'm so proud of my region and the way it features regularly in national awards. I want to congratulate East Maitland's Windsor Castle Hotel, which was among the winners in this year's AHA Awards for Excellence. The Windsor Castle won best regional wagering venue, with notable recognition of its success as a vibrant space where locals can enjoy food and quality entertainment. Local pubs and clubs bring people together every day. They're not just places to eat and drink; they're places that bring our communities together and provide connection for people throughout our region. I want to say a great big congratulations to Hannah Medz and her team, as well as the owners of the Windsor Castle, Sean O'Hara and Nick Quinn, who make this venue an important feature of the Maitland landscape. Thank you to the Windsor Castle and all the small businesses achieving wonderful things across our region.

Just a couple of Saturday nights ago, I was actually at the Windsor Castle. Not only did it remind me of how great it is to have a gathering venue like that but I was there to celebrate the Maitland Mustangs. Basketball began in Maitland in 1952. The 'Mustangs' were coined in the eighties. It was a fantastic night of celebrating this regional sporting team that reached the grand finals in the NBL 1 this year. Those guys, and they're a team of young men, couldn't have been better examples of what we would all hope for in our young people. They were intelligent, they were obviously very fit, being basketball players, but they were so respectful. When they came to receive their medals—and getting to a grand final in basketball is no mean feat—they spoke so brilliantly to everyone who was at the venue. They embraced the younger generation of kids coming through in basketball. They showed real deference to the older players, who still run around the court on a Monday night and get a bit of a sweat up. They then chatted generally with people in the pub about basketball and how they had done so well in the season. The women's team were there and they had a fabulous year as well.

Sitting in that pub, I just thought, 'We are so blessed, not only to have brilliant teams like the Maitland Mustangs and to have this community spirit around local sport but also to have a place like the Windsor Castle where we could all get together and celebrate the magnificent job that they've done this year