Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:20): I rise to talk about celebrating Australia Day. Chaffey is made up of dedicated, passionate and proud people and many volunteers, the active community members who make the Riverland and the Mallee a better place to live. On Australia Day, I had the opportunity to celebrate with many of my community members who enrich our regions and provide invaluable service to our communities.
In the Berri Barmera awards, which I attended, the Citizen of the Year was Chloe Drogemuller-Fiebig. Chloe has been a leading advocate for brain cancer since losing her husband Dave in 2022. Her foundation, Brave for Dave, has raised over $55,000 to support critical research and raise awareness, and she has accomplished so much in the last 15 months. She is currently lobbying the state government to fund and implement a specialised brain tumour coordinator to assist patients and families. This month, the Governor will present Chloe with an award recognising her support, advocacy and commitment.
The Young Citizen of the Year is Amelia Humphrey. She has huge dedication and a strong environmental and volunteering ability, and she is also a Monash CFS volunteer. The Event of the Year was the Rowing SA 2023 Riverland Regatta and second grade state championships, which I also attended and sponsored. It was a huge weekend event that would not be possible without the volunteers, attracting over 2,500 people to the region.
The Building a Better Community Award went to the Barmera-Monash Football Club Wellbeing Committee. It is a great committee, established to provide mental health support for players, coaches and their families. At the Loxton Waikerie awards, the Loxton Citizen of the Year was Genevieve Lehmann. She was the Riverland and Mallee Citizen of the Year back in 2006. She has volunteered for more than 35 years with Novita and Red Cross, for 24 years with Loxcare, and has mentored children for 54 years through the Learning Assistance Program.
The Loxton Junior Citizen of the Year is Zane Sheffield. He is a CEO of his own AgTech business, and he is only 19. He was awarded Regional Entrepreneur of the Year at the Teens in Business Awards last year. He participated in the national Shark Tank competition, received a University of Adelaide ThincLab internship, and he is also coaching basketball. The Loxton Event of the Year was the Loxton Agricultural and Horticultural Society—the Loxton Show—which I also attended, a great event.
The Waikerie Citizen of the Year was Bob Kemp. He was part of the Waikerie Community Club Board for 24 years, he was in Apex and was the men's shed president for eight years. The Waikerie Event of the Year was the Rotary Club of Waikerie's Waikerie Fringe.
In the Renmark Paringa awards, the Citizen of the Year was Alan Coulter, who spent most of his life helping others through rehabilitation and injury prevention. He improved the lives of many and helped them recover from sports injuries, vehicle accidents, falls and joint fatigue.
The Community Event of the Year was the Renmark Christmas Pageant, which I also attended and which made a comeback after a five-year hiatus. There were thousands of people in attendance and it was a great event to lift community morale. There were two recipients of the Award for Active Citizenship: Ann Ryan and Grant Schwartzkopff. Ann has been outstanding with her passion for preserving and showcasing local history, and we all know Grant. He attends sporting competitions and events almost every weekend, capturing photos. He was awarded Best Photographer 2023 by The Advertiser.
The Karoonda East Murray Citizen of the Year is Elizabeth Kerr, a local historian, proudly dedicated to preserving Karoonda's rich heritage and identity, and also a great strength at the local netball club. The Young Citizen of the Year was Matilda Baumgurtel, who just graduated year 12. She had a busy last 12 months but never shied aware from being a leader in her community. The Community Event of the Year was the Karoonda and District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital 50th anniversary, which showcased the hospital's historical significance and the team's unwavering commitment to health care.
Community Event of the Year, (Special Commendation) went to the Sandalwood Hall Centenary Celebrations, which I also attended, organised by the hall's 10 committee members. The Award for Active Citizenship went to Janine Dutschke who played a pivotal role in creating community opportunities and who recently stepped into an executive role with the Karoonda Farm Fair.
In the Australia Day celebrations, the Mid Murray Council Awards Citizen of the Year went to Vaughan Mustard, who uses his business to help move temporary buildings used for Blanchetown sporting bodies. He has served 40 years with the SES and helped establish the brigade.
The Youth Achievement Award went to Hunter Danton, who is just 11 years old. He represents Morgan Primary School in sports across the state, SAPSASA, and he set the shotput record that had not been broken in 21 years.
The Community Event of the Year went to the Mannum Golf Club's Camping Sounds by the River. It was a concert and camping experience pulled together at the last minute after the regular venue, the Mary Ann Reserve, was impacted by the River Murray floods and the Mannum Golf Club stepped in.
I thank all the volunteers and all the community champions who have been given the awards. I also want to pay tribute to all the volunteers who make the Riverland and the Mallee a great place to live, work and play.
