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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-03-19 Daily Xml
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Frome Electorate

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:25): On this day, 19 March, as the house reflects on two years into this term and two years on from the last election, with reflections on the government and its promise to fix ramping and the disappointment we have noted that continues to be, I want to grab this opportunity to reflect on the fantastic opportunities and recognition that is due to the electorate of Frome.

For 12 years the electorate of Frome was represented by the current member for Stuart and it was my great delight to join this chamber, work alongside colleagues on this side and the other side of the house, and to represent a community that is vast in its primary industry and rich in talent and human resources and I take an opportunity today to celebrate the towns and communities that continue to support me.

I really want to recognise and reflect on their hard work, their efforts and the achievements of those who have been nominated or achieved awards and also those who just work quietly, and who get on with the job of representing their communities.

Today, I want to start with my first recognition and pay tribute to a friend of mine, Merrilyn Williams, who has run the Clare florist store for many, many years and who, at the end of last year, declared that she needed to give time back to herself. We know that florists look after us in the best and worst of times. On behalf of the entire Clare Valley and Mid North, I know that everyone would agree that Merrilyn deserves to go off on her adventures now.

There are so many amazing men and women who live throughout the electorate of Frome, whose endeavours in business, primary industry and volunteering are just extraordinary. I want to work through a list, if you like, of people who are living and working in the community, people such as Pip and Leon Faulkner, who represent the Envirocopper business and the innovation that they are bringing to a smaller footprint when it comes to this important commodity.

Nicola Palmer and Warrick Duthy are well known to this chamber and to this state. Nicola was most recently, on International Women's Day, nominated Woman of the Year. The work that they are doing celebrating biodiversity through Paddock to Plate dining experiences at the Watervale Store is quite synonymous.

Steph Schmidt from World's End and the Goyder region is dedicated on a daily basis to supporting her husband and family on the farm, but in her right she is a hero of mental health. Mel Kitschke, that legend up at Bundaleer, Maple and Pine forest, is just a fantastic advocate for that extraordinary plantation and the biodiversity in that region.

To Ali Cooper in her own right for the work that she does in tourism and accommodation, managing the park in Jamestown, and her father-in-law, Leith, who was awarded Citizen of the Year for his service to the Jamestown Show over 70 years.

To Paulie Calaby, a friend of bees and biodiversity, a great teacher of gardening and one of many red shirts who run the Clare Showgrounds, most recently working really hard over the weekend to support 3,800 people coming to the Clare rodeo, which was amazing.

I thank Damien Graham, who is a quiet coordinator of the Mid North Community Passenger Network, and all of the volunteers who continue to move people from my community around the district and to the city for their important and often life-saving health appointments.

I celebrate the work that has been undertaken in the Freeling community through the business sector, rebuilding and delivering a supermarket to a growing community that, sadly, through decisions made by the government, has permanently lost its police station—but that doesn't hold it back, and I am looking forward to the day when this community has a flourishing GP clinic and chemist.

Louise and Neil Haines are legends locally for running the Watervale General Store. We farewelled them a little while ago now, but these are the heroes over the last two years who have really contributed to the local economy and established their businesses and their brands in a way that went beyond the boundaries of the electorate. Greg Boston up in Jamestown, who has been significant with the Mid North Suicide Prevention Network, is another person who deserves my attention and my thanks. On the second anniversary of my representation, I thank my community.

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