REGIONAL AWARDS FOR HILLS AND COASTS

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:25): I would like to spend a few minutes talking about the regional awards in my region, which were held last Friday night at McCracken at Victor Harbor: the Regional Awards for Hills and Coasts. I enjoyed the company also of the member for Heysen and the member for Hammond, who were allowed into my electorate for the purpose of the event.

I would also like to very much congratulate Karen Raffen, the Chief Executive Officer of Brand SA. It was a particularly good night. These shows are tightly run—extremely well run. McCracken put on a great meal and it is a great site. Karen and her team from Brand SA do an excellent job and they keep things running to schedule. It was due to finish at 9:30pm and it did on the knocker, so it was very pleasing.

More to the point, the people from my electorate who participated—the companies and individuals—all deserve a mention. The finalist in one section for small business was Surf & Son; for large business, Kangaroo Island Pure Grain; community group, CLASS Inc., which operates across the hills both at Strathalbyn and Victor Harbor. In premium food and wine from our clean environment: Island Pure, the sheep dairy people; and Kangaroo Island Shellfish, which is American River oysters; and the finalists in the premium food and wine were Ballast Stone Estate. Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action, which are four-wheel drive motorbikes—what do you call them?

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell: Quad bikes.

Mr PENGILLY: Thank you, quad bikes. They have done a terrific job down there. Leah Pippos was a finalist in the youth category. The winner of the Westpac Small Business Award was Kangaroo Island Spirits, run by Jon and Sarah Lark. If anyone is on the island, they should go and visit Jon and Sarah. They have done a terrific job. They celebrated in style Friday night and they were not at all well at the Victor Harbor market on Saturday morning, I might add.

The Westpac Large Business Award winner was Ferguson Australia. Despite the best efforts of the government to wipe out the fishing industry, it came home first. Congratulations to Andrew and Debra and their family.

The winner of the Seniors Card Community Individual Award was Leah Pippos from the South Australian Whale Centre. She is the manager down at Victor Harbor. Leah is an outstanding young lady. She does a terrific job. She is mixed up with the Port Elliot Country Fire Service and plays hockey and a few other things. She is certainly a great proponent for the Whale Centre. She is quite often on the radio during the whale season, particularly on Saturday mornings, and I congratulate Leah on her efforts there.

The Flinders University Education Award winner was Kangaroo Island Community Education. This deserves a special mention. The principal, Mr Ian Kent, was there and a couple of the other staff. This is an amazing achievement: bringing three schools together into one school with three campuses. Despite the best intent of a few around the place to try to disrupt education, they came out to the fore. From an isolated location like that, to win that particular category was certainly a great credit to them.

Hindmarsh Valley Dairy—Denise Riches and her husband who run the Hindmarsh Valley goat dairy (goat and cow milk, cheeses and dairy products)—were the Food SA Premium Food and Wine from our Clean Environment—Food Award winner. They conduct a very successful business and I was absolutely delighted to be there with them on the night.

In the Thoroughbred Racing SA Sport Award, the winner was Franklin Island Triathlon, run by the inimitable Sid James. Sid James is a quadriplegic and is an amazing man. He has won a multitude of awards. He runs not only this particular Franklin Island Triathlon but also the Victor Harbor Triathlon in March, all from the confines of a wheelchair. He has very little movement of any kind whatsoever. He can talk the leg off a chair and he has no hesitation in rounding us up for sponsorship, to help him or anything else.

As I said, it was a good night. It was well run. I know there have been other regional awards around the state, but it is something that I always look forward to. Again, congratulations to Karen Raffen and her team, and my congratulations to all the finalists, participants and the award winners on that night.