Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

It was wonderful to be in the community on Australia Day, 26 January, this year to celebrate with the community. I started the day at the Monbulk Rotary and then went to the Wandin Rotary breakfast. Thank you to them for a wonderful celebration but also the amazing work that Rotary does in our community, giving back to help those that need it. Congratulations to my good friend John Hasan, who was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow award at the Wandin Rotary, their highest award. It was also amazing to see Arnold Dix at Monbulk. Some people would remember Arnold; he was the man that helped save 41 miners in India late last year. It was great to see him there. I couldn't stay for his speech, but I have had the opportunity to hear him speak about the sacrifices that he made to save those miners in India, so it was wonderful to see Arnold recognised. We're proud that he's from Monbulk—from our community.

After that, it was off to the Yarra Ranges Council facilities for their Australia Day citizenship ceremony, where we got to welcome 60 new citizens to our country. Citizenship ceremonies are always wonderful events but particularly on Australia Day, when you see the joy, and the passion and the pride that these new citizens have for our country, for joining the great Australian dream. But there's also the acknowledgement and recognition of their culture that they have brought with them to our country, and that was on show with the wonderful dress that was worn on the day.

It's very important that we recognise the many citizens that do so much in our community. At the Yarra Ranges community awards I was proud to present the Ian De La Rue Award to Randall Bourchier, and the Mayor's Lifetime Achievement Award to Alan Somers, two great people that I've got to know over many years, who have given so much to our community. I also want to congratulate the Millgrove Residents Action Group for winning the Community Group of the Year Award. It was very well deserved. To Lachlan Hudak from Lilydale Heights and Sophie Morris from Mount Lilydale: congratulations on being the young environmentalists of the year. Congratulations also to Chris McAleer, Jean Steel and Bruce Argyle for their certificates of recognition.

It was wonderful to be there to see my good friend Sharyn Manning recognised as the 2024 Yarra Ranges Council Citizen of the Year. She's a person I've known for many years. We were on the Lilydale Township Action Group together.

I want to thank Wandin Rotary, the Wandin football club and the Wandin Cricket club for their family fun day and also acknowledge the work of Bendigo Bank, the community bank that donated $10,000 to each of the Coldstream, Gruyere, Wandin and Seville CFAs—community groups and CFAs that need to be supported more than ever.

It was a wonderful day, celebrating everything that is great about this country and everything that is great about our community—coming together, supporting each other and recognising this wonderful country.