Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute to Andrew Campbell, the outgoing CEO of the Shire of Manjimup in the south-west region of my electorate of O'Connor. Andrew was appointed to Manjimup's top administrative position in 2014. This was a just few months after I was first elected to federal parliament. Over the ensuing decade, Andrew and I have worked together on many game-changing projects, including the Power Up Electricity Museum, which received $2.6 million under the former coalition government's Building Better Regions Fund. The museum and associated cafe now form a wonderful modern entry point to Manjimup's Heritage Park. Another significant project is the Manjimup Wellness and Respite Community Centre, which received a $1.6 million grant under the National Stronger Regions Fund. These are two of many projects that have driven Manjimup's recent urban renaissance. Visitors to central Manjimup will notice the Brockman Street lights, the new cafes and night spots, the town's revamped art deco buildings and the free wi-fi available through the town centre.

All of these improvements have occurred on Mr Campbell's watch, but Manjimup as a shire is so much more. It's a shire of horticulture, truffles, premium wine production, tall timbers and quaint smaller towns. While Mr Campbell has been CEO I've been proud to be associated with the $200,000 grant to improve parking along Brockman Street in Pemberton. The former coalition government also helped improve accessibility at the town hall in Northcliffe and upgrade their heritage museum. Under the Mobile Black Spot Program, phone towers were built at 10 Manjimup locations, including base stations at Beedelup east, Mount Frankland west and Windy Harbour. At Windy Harbour, the daily pilgrimage to the top of Point d'Entrecasteaux, where a faint mobile signal once provided patchy reception, has now ceased. Locals and visitors can now access a strong signal from the comfort of their holiday huts in the heart of the settlement.

In 2019, Andrew received the WALGA Local Government Distinguished Officer Award in recognition of his contribution as CEO and as a Manjimup shire officer for 26 years up to that point. Like me, Andrew has a passion for regional economic development. He helped drive Manjimup's transformation from a great timber-producing area to a supplier of fine food to local, national and international markets. Having helped navigate the shire's recovery from the devastating bushfires in 2015, Andrew now moves to Northampton, which was hit by Cyclone Seroja in 2021. As CEO of the Shire of Northampton, in the electorate of Durack, he will play a key role in the ongoing recovery from the destruction wreaked by Seroja. I'll miss working with Andrew. He has left a lasting legacy in Manjimup. Last week I visited Manjimup to personally thank Andrew and wish him all the best for the next chapter in his life.