Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Across Eden-Monaro, it is finals footy time. It's been great to get to so many games across the place. I want to give a shout-out to the Queanbeyan Whites Rugby Club for their annual family charity day recently. The first grade team played in special charity jerseys that were auctioned off at Walshs Hotel that night by local Queanbeyan boy and Farmer Wants a Wife contestant Brad Jones. The day had lots of family activities assisting in raising important funds for their 2023 charity partner Emergency, an organisation supporting New South Wales and ACT emergency service workers by providing them PTSD support. The Queanbeyan Whites are the epitome of a community focused sports club. They are not just about rugby; they are constantly finding ways to give back, which was recently seen when three Wallabies legends—Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper—laced up their boots to take the field for the Win the Day charity. They raised $11,500 for Emergency, and I can't wait to bid on my own Whites jersey very soon.

I want to congratulate Alanna Dummett, originally from Bega, who has been selected as a development player in the Canberra Raiders NRLW's top 24 squad. At only 19, her career is already off to an impressive start, having played for the Raiders in the Tarsha Gale Cup, played in the centres and as captain and recently debuting for the first grade side. She's got a super bright future ahead of her.All of Eden-Monaro is behind you! Best of luck for the rest of the season, and I look forward to getting to a game to cheer you on.

I am a very proud supporter of an amazing business in Eden-Monaro called 'Birdsnest'. We have a ton of great businesses across Eden-Monaro, but this one deserves a shout-out. Check them out. It was founded in Cooma in 2004 by Jane Cay, who purchased a small clothing store and then launched it online a few years later. Her small business of five has grown to 140, and the brand has a cult following across the country. The business has now been recognised as an industry leader. It recently won two major awards at the Australia Post Online Retail Industry Awards and capped it off by winning the 2023 Online Retailer of the Year. They do things differently at Birdsnest—they get women, they get regional women and they get customer loyalty. They are to be commended for their commitment to diversity and creating a space where customers are nurtured and feel safe. I'm a proud shopper of Birdsnest—and you should be, too.

Finally, I want to give a shout-out to the Veterans Motorcycle Club in Queanbeyan and president Jay Moriarty, or 'Mori', as everyone knows him. This year, the Veterans Motorcycle Club raised a ton of funds through barbecues and their poker run. They delivered $6,000 to the Rise Above charity, which provides support to families in the ACT and Queanbeyan dealing with a cancer journey. Well done, Veterans Motorcycle Club. If you're in need of a bacon and egg roll on a Saturday morning, head down to Seiffert Oval.