Jamie Chaffey (Parkes, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate someone who really is worthy of recognition. Last week, Carol Mudford of Dubbo was named as the winner of the AgriFutures Australia Rural Women's Award. This is such a worthy award that recognises the incredible things that regional women are achieving, and no-one is more deserving than Carol. Carol, like so many regional women, has many diverse skills. Carol is both a registered nurse and an accomplished shearer. Carol was so moved by the suicide of three shearers that she wanted to do something to help people in the shearing industry. Carol started sHedway, an organisation that tackles suicide prevention and mental health support in shearing sheds right across the country. Congratulations to Carol, to the runner-up Isabella Thrupp and also to the state finalists and the nominees.

It is this time of year when organisations are recognising their outstanding businesses at business awards. On Saturday, Regional Development Australia announced the winners of the Far West New South Wales Excellence in Business Awards, and congratulations go to the overall winner, Broken Hill Distillery, a business that offers distillery tours and produces award-winning gin. Congratulations also go to all of the other winners and nominees. The Gunnedah and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also been recognised at a state level, winning the outstanding local chamber at the recent New South Wales Business Awards. As a former president of this chamber of commerce, I have— (Time expired)