Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the start of April I had the absolute pleasure of dropping by Haynes Farm to meet with Haynes and Ethan. Haynes is an 18-year-old Hunter local who has just opened his own farm. Opening a farm at the age of just 18 is an extraordinary achievement for anyone, but Haynes is even more amazing than your average 18-year-old. Haynes lives with autism, but he doesn't let this hold him back at all. He always had a dream of owning his own farm, and now he does.

The boys showed me around the farm. They showed me their chicken coop, the jetty, the orchard, and they showed me their plans to expand. Thank you so much for a great morning. I even got to take home my own carton of farm-fresh eggs to have for breakfast, and let me say, Mr Speaker, they were delicious. Thanks also to Maxine, who runs Strive for Autism, which is a local group of friends and families supporting others coping with autism.

If you need something to brighten up your day, go and visit Haynes farm. They've recently planted a crop of veggies, so get in and support this great local bloke and pick up some farm-fresh eggs and fresh produce. I look forward to learning more and visiting the farm again, Haynes. Enjoy it, and good luck.