Speech in the ACT Legislative Assembly

24 March 2009

 

Last Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of attending the Charny Carny – the Charnwood Community Carnival.

The Charny Carny is a great example of what can be achieved when the community comes together in a spirit of co-operation and good will. The Charny Carny, as I’m sure many members will be well aware, came about because parents realised that working together they could raise more money for their three groups – the Charnwood-Dunlop Primary School, St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, and the Mount Rogers Scout Group. I acknowledge John Bourke from St Thomas Aquinas School and Frankie Dowling from the Charnwood-Dunlop Primary School for their leadership.

The community has worked together to put on a great carnival that includes musical entertainment, market stalls, carnival rides, scouting activities, RAAF balloon rides, and food stalls.

By combining together to create this carnival, the community has been able to raise much more money that would otherwise be the case. Through raising this money, the schools are able to invest more in their programs and facilities for all of their students.

I would especially like to thank Michael Pilbrow for inviting me to join in the festivities at the Carnival and congratulate all those involved in putting on such a successful event.

It was great to see local groups getting involved in the event including Charnwood Capital Chemist, The Uniform Shop, Actew AGL, Belconnen Community Service, Duc Markees and community groups like the Canberra Christian Life Centre, Ginninderra Rotary Club, the Belwest Foxes, Belconnen Bullets fly ball team, West Belconnen Health Co-operative, ACT Policing, Emergency Services, a number of school bands and of course the Mount Rogers Scout Group.

Once again, I congratulate Michael Pilbrow for his dedication to his community and commend the team of volunteers for putting on the event. It was a great event and I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon there.