Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you know, Deputy Speaker Chesters, the Northern Territory—Darwin, Palmerston, the rural area, the Top End of the Northern Territory that I'm so proud to represent—is blessed to have a range of festivals, conferences and other activities now that the dry season has well and truly hit its stride. In the last couple of weeks I've had the pleasure of attending the Darwin Italian Festival for the first time, held down at Fort Hill Parkland, with that beautiful sea breeze coming in off the harbour. A great sea breeze was also at that Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival. It was a fantastic couple of days. I sponsored the art award for inclusiveness. That went to the Henbury School, so congratulations to them. On the weekend just passed we had the Darwin Seniors Expo at the Sitzler Netball Centre, which was a fantastic chance to talk to seniors and to put out a new seniors and pensioners information booklet with all the updated information. That is always very popular.

On upcoming events for those who want to get up to the Top End and get warm if they're from somewhere a bit chilly: we have the Darwin International Dragon Boat Festival coming up in a bit over a week. We've got the Darwin Greek GleNTi Festival, with a couple of champion days there and great food and entertainment. We've got the Barunga Festival. We've got the supercars coming to Darwin. For those who love their motorsports, get up to Darwin for 16 to 18 June. We have Territory Day, which is on 1 July. It's sort of our birthday for the Northern Territory. We'll have heaps of fireworks and great music, and it's all free. We then have the Gran Fondo bicycle event the next day, 2 July. No matter how big Territory Day is, I'll be waking up come that Sunday morning, 2 July, and I'll again be cycling for charity in the Pollie Pedal. That's a busy June and early July, and those are only some of the events that are on. As the dry season continues, the Top End will be serving up so much more, with the Darwin Festival; with the NATSIAAs; with the NIMAs, the National Indigenous Music Awards; and with Aboriginal art fairs, just to mention a couple—fantastic events throughout.

We've also had some great conferences. It's no wonder that our convention centre has recently won a Qantas tourism award as one of the best events venues in the country. We had a great Australian Defence Magazine conference. Fantastic stuff. I was very pleased to speak at that. We've also got the World Aquaculture conference on right now in Darwin. Plenty of sights and sounds with the military exercises through the Top End as well. It's a cracking time in the Top End during the dry season. Look forward to seeing me up there.