Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not to take away from the very serious issues that have already been raised in this section of the day, I will be lightening the tone a bit. I rise to encourage people not to forget the regions as they look to their future travel plans, because we suffered through COVID; we have suffered through drought. Our woes are not gone, and we need you to love our regions.

I want to give a little plug to my home town of Deniliquin, which is so much more than the Deni Ute Muster, so much more than the world-famous ute on a pole, which you can view as you come into town. We have the fabulous beach-to-beach riverside walk along the beautiful Edward River. We have state forests and we're on the edge of the Barmah-Millewa national park. And you can go and see the Barmah Choke, which I speak on regularly when I have my water hat on. We have the Peppin Heritage Centre, which tells the story of the very famous, world-renowned Australian merino sheep. The bloodline was actually developed in and around Deniliquin. We have the Hay Plains and the majestic sunsets you can see. In summer we've got water skiing and river floats down the river. You don't need a boat. You just need a blow-up mattress, and you can thoroughly enjoy it.

I was set a challenge by our local mayor to find out how many people know someone from Deniliquin. I have been walking around the parliament over the last couple of weeks and here in this chamber. Every person I talked to knows someone from Deniliquin. Go figure! It's amazing. I implore you: if you don't already know someone from Deniliquin, get in the car, go for a drive and meet someone, because they're good mob.