You can watch video footage of the speech here.
Every year, as part of Queensland Day celebrations, I thank and honour the incredible individuals and organisations who make the Algester electorate the best place in the state to live by awarding my annual Algester Queensland Day awards. Over the past few years the Algester Parkinson Lions Club has coordinated Queensland Day celebrations in the Algester electorate where my Queensland Day awards have been presented. Of course, as a result of COVID-19, this much anticipated event was not able to take place this year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the Algester Parkinson Lions Club for their hard work and acknowledge their leadership in keeping everyone safe.
COVID did not stop us from celebrating the amazing people in our community and awarding Queensland Day awards to the many deserving individuals and organisations who have made such a difference across the Algester electorate. During restrictions, our schools went above and beyond to support students and their parents through these unprecedented times. That is why I was happy to award all schools in the Algester electorate with Queenslander of the Year awards: from Acacia Ridge State School and Algester State School to Calamvale Community College, Pallara State School, Wisdom College and Watson Road State School as well as the Murri School and our great Catholic schools, St Bernadine’s, Our Lady of Fatima and St Stephen’s. The teaching staff, principals and support staff including our amazing cleaners have been true heroes during this time and deserve recognition.
Community groups, including Belong in Acacia Ridge, Lighthouse Care in Hillcrest, Wat Thai Buddharam in Forestdale, to name just a few, were also recipients of Queensland Day awards for their outstanding support of those who were hit hard by COVID restrictions. There was also recognition for the outstanding sporting clubs in the Algester electorate including the Super Kings Cricket Club based in Heathwood and the Calamvale Leopards among others. There was also recognition for our incredibly generous clubs such as the Algester Sports Club, Greenbank RSL at Hillcrest and Souths Acacia Ridge who collectively do so much to support our community. These recipients joined dozens of other remarkable individuals and organisations that were also awarded Queensland Day Awards for their outstanding contribution to the Algester electorate.
In the time remaining, I want to make special mention of Pallara State School and their weekly ‘wear pink on Wednesday’ initiative. Today, I join school leaders, teachers and support staff at Pallara State School by wearing pink on Wednesday to lend my support to their goal of promoting positive staff morale and school culture.
Mr Molhoek: That’s hot pink.
Ms ENOCH: Thank you very much. It is hot pink. Sometimes it is these little things that can act as a reminder of all the goodness and positivity that exists in the community. As we unite to recover from COVID it also serves as a reminder that we are always stronger together. Being a Queenslander means sticking by your mates in tough times, and the Queenslanders that call the Algester electorate home do exactly that.