MARION CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (15:29): Thank you , Mr Speaker. I rise today to recognise those honoured at the recent 2013 Citizen of the Year awards for the Marion City Council held at the Hallett Cove sports club, as well as those acknowledged at similar ceremonies around the state and the nation for Australia Day.

Special congratulations go to the 2013 City of Marion Citizen of the Year, Walter Stamm, who, with a staggering 53 years' service under his belt, is South Australia's longest serving Lions Club member. Walter has been raising funds for various charities for many years and one of the projects he has been involved with has involved sending more than 10,000 pairs of glasses to developing nations overseas to help people with vision problems.

I would also like to acknowledge the finalists in this category: Jean Haynes, chair of the Oaklands Park community members' group, and my constituent Heather Latz who, among other roles, is President of the Marion Historical Society. Congratulations also to the Young Citizen of the Year, Aimee Harwood, who is a committed member of the council's Youth Advisory Committee. Aimee's dedication to her community and those less fortunate is commendable and extends to giving up her Christmas morning to assist in providing meals for the homeless within our community. Fellow Youth Advisory Committee member Jeremiah Morton was a finalist in this category, and I would like to recognise his contribution as well.

The Hallett Cove Lions Club also deserves a special mention for taking out the community event of the year for its Christmas sleigh which has been brightening Christmases for more than 25 years for residents of Hallett Cove, as well as Trott Park and Sheidow Park in my electorate. Finalists in the community event category were Ascot Park Primary School for its multicultural food trail, the Anzac youth vigil art project and the Active Elders Association Olympic Games.

I would also like to make a special mention to thank Bonnie Pearson for her wonderful performances, the Hallett Cove sports club for their friendly hospitality and the wonderful volunteers from the Marion Lions Club for cooking the barbecue. I would also acknowledge the Australia Day Ambassador Belal Moraby for his touching speech on what being Australian means to him.

Of course, there are many other volunteers who enrich our communities with their gifts of time and talents. Most receive no awards, no public recognition and yet their contribution is no less important. The countless hours they volunteer are essential to the fabric of our society, both economically and socially.

Volunteers provide services in health and welfare, arts and culture, sports and recreation, conservation and environment, education, and a wide range of other areas. It is not all a one-way street, though. Volunteers themselves receive many benefits through volunteer work. Volunteering can be of great value in preparing people for the workplace, helping them change careers or assisting them to make transition to requirement.

The Australia Day eve event at Marion council did more than recognise our present-day volunteers, our community stalwarts. It was also an opportunity to welcome 17 new citizens to the area who, in the future, may well be among our long-serving volunteer ranks. I was particularly pleased to meet the Arora and Dyke families at the event both of whom reside in Sheidow Park and to personally welcome them to our community. These new citizens have taken the pledge to become Australians, with all the rights and responsibilities that that entails. I congratulate them for taking the step and I look forward to them becoming active members in our local community.