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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-10-31 Daily Xml
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Lifeline Volunteer Awards

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart) (15:11): Today, I would like to speak about the recent Volunteer Awards event held in Wallaroo by Lifeline Regional SA and Far West NSW, recognising the tremendous voluntary work that these people do for their communities. Lifeline is a very great organisation that does tremendous work for all people, particularly in regional South Australia. They are 100 per cent reliant on income from their op shops in different locations and also on community donations.

I would like to announce the award winners. First up, from the Port Pirie warehouse, there was Sharon Arbon, who received the Eucalypt Award for five years' service; Murray Coleman received the Golden Wattle Award for 10 years; Brian Reeves received the Golden Wattle Award for 10 years; Keith Smith received the Opal of Honour Award for 15 years' service; Jewell Pisani received the Lifetime Award for 20 years of service; and Heather Stringer received the Lifetime Award for 25 years' service. From the Port Pirie retail shop, Francine Warren received the Eucalypt Award for five years' service and Christine Promnitz received the Eucalypt Award for five years' service.

From Port Augusta, Robert White received the Eucalypt Award for five years' service and Nicolette Fitzgerald received the Golden Wattle Award for 10 years of service. From Wallaroo, Stephanie Blythman received the Golden Wattle Award for 10 years' service; Barbara Simpson received the Golden Wattle Award for 10 years' service; Pauline Hitchen received the Opal of Honour Award for 15 years' service; Tony Huybregts received the Opal of Honour Award for 15 years' service; and Sharon Penny received the Opal of Honour Award for 15 years' service. From Gawler, Kym Noack received the Eucalypt Award for five years' service.

There is also a major award awarded to a volunteer in memory of Rex Jordan and Marg Garrett, who volunteered as counsellors and on the board of the previous named organisation, Lifeline Country to Coast, prior to the amalgamation that formed the current organisation. It was after the merger that this award was initiated. I was talking to this gentleman from Port Pirie before the awards. He is very unassuming and we were talking about things in general. He certainly does like to have a discussion about community in general. Not once did he indicate that he was a recipient or in the final list to be considered for this prestigious award. This recipient was Martyn Powell, who was extremely surprised when his name was read as a nominee and he was even more surprised and excited when he was named the winner. He was so excited about it he could not even speak during the ceremony there.

One of the things I want to say about Lifeline in general is that it is not only the opportunity shops and what they do for the less fortunate people there, it is also about the suicide prevention and the Lifeline counsellors they have across not only Clare but also Port Pirie. I know the member for Frome, the new member down there, goes into that one there. As the previous member for Frome I was very passionate about establishing a Lifeline Connect Centre in Port Pirie and had the opportunity to actually take a challenge from the community there to raise funds towards that organisation.

The challenge was either to shave my head or take my moustache off, and Lifeline and people were asking my two girls, Hayley and Marissa, what it was like to see their dad without a moustache. They have never seen me without a moustache. I did both and raised nearly $21,000 towards the Lifeline Connect. What we have done now is be able to have that at Port Pirie. I know the member for Frome also attends the one at Clare.

With this opportunity, I want to reinforce what Lifeline do across all of regional South Australia. I encourage our members of parliament here to make the connection with Lifeline and promote it, because they are not only there for less fortunate people where there is an issue of affordability but also for people who have an anxiety or a mental health issue. Again, I congratulate these people for their great service. They are community volunteers and they do a great job for their communities, so I certainly congratulate them.

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