Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Volunteers play an important role throughout the Flynn electorate, giving their time, energy and skills to support others. By dedicating their time and effort to helping others, our volunteers are the backbone of many small rural communities. These Australians are resilient and selfless and work hard to make our communities a better place to live. They are the heart of our community groups, schools and sporting organisations and are some of the first to respond in natural disasters.

In the lead-up to National Volunteers Week, I was pleased to present the 2023 Flynn Volunteer Awards to recognise our local heroes and show how much they are valued and appreciated. This program provided an opportunity for community organisations in my electorate to nominate five of their members who went above and beyond and made a significant contribution to the cause. Volunteers were recognised from organisations such as the CWA branches of Gracemere, Oakwood, Gladstone, Moonford and Mount Larcom; the Blackwater Bandits Football Club; the Gin Gin RSL; Gladstone MindCare; Gracemere Scout Group; the Port Curtis Historical Society; the Calliope River Men's Shed; North Burnett Community Services; the Monto Netball Association; the Mount Morgan Golf Club; the Model Engineers and Live Steamers Association; and Evenglow Gladstone.

To our volunteers across the Flynn electorate I say: congratulations, and keep up your amazing job and your unrecognised work. Thank you so much.