Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The short break from parliament over the weekend afforded me the opportunity to get back to Barker, and on Saturday I attended the Keith Diesel and Dirt Derby. The 10th year of this popular event attracted over 10,000 people. Unfortunately, however, this is the final year of the event; the organising committee are going to take a well-earnt break. For the past few years, I've enjoyed not only attending but taking part, as I take the rough and tumble out of politics and into the dirt in the header demolition derby. Indeed, the opportunity for competitors to smash combine harvesters into one another was given the extra sweetener of having their local federal member included.

As we say goodbye to this great event, at least for now, I'd like to thank and commend the committee and contributing organisations for their hard work over the past decade: the Keith show society, the Keith Lions, Keith Apex, Keith Men's Shed, Ryan McDonald, Dale Farley, Chad Makin, Bruce Hunt, Darren Small, Ian Farley, Toby Downs, Trudie Hedges and, of course, Mayor Paul Simmons. But I've got to mention, specifically, Glen Simpson. He's the man around whom this is all built. Thank you. I'm so pleased. You can all retire now from the Keith Diesel and Dirt Derby in better shape than my header.