Page 5217 - Week 12 - Thursday, 27 October 2011

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prototype, the research school of engineering at the Australian National University; the Datapod system from Datapod Australia Pty Ltd; and the Tharwa heritage bridge restoration, Roads ACT.

The entrants in this year’s awards represented a diverse range of projects, and the judges commented on the high calibre of all of the entrants. There were 17 finalists in the 2011 awards, which I understand is the highest number of entrants in almost 20 years. Once again, my congratulations to Engineers Australia, Canberra division, and its president, Ms Jennifer Murray, for all of the excellent work that was carried out to award some very professional organisations.

Last Saturday morning I attended the Calwell community day. It went from morning until afternoon. During the morning I met up with quite a few community groups, including members of Neighbourhood Watch, the Tuggeranong Community Council, all five of the schools in the area and also Mr Gary O’Donnell and his son from the Special Olympics group.

Special Olympics is an international movement that provides sports training and opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics New Zealand is hosting the inaugural trans-Tasman tournament in Wellington, New Zealand, from 2 to 5 November, in just a week’s time. The ACT is sending 16 athletes and five support staff to New Zealand, and our athletes are competing in basketball and soccer. They are joining teams from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia as well as teams from many of the Special Olympics regions in New Zealand.

The team and its supporters have been busy fundraising to meet the cost of $28,000 to send the team over. This has included chocolate drives, sausage sizzles, bucket collections at shopping centres around Canberra and bucket collections at the last Raiders home game on 28 October, and tomorrow night there is a trivia night in Belconnen where they are raising funds.

Rachel Waddington is the ACT manager of Special Olympics. My congratulations go to the Special Olympics committee for the work that they have done in raising money. I was very fortunate to meet Mr Gary O’Donnell and his son, who were busily collecting money at Calwell on Saturday morning. To Gary O’Donnell and his son and to all of the players who will be competing in the Special Olympics in New Zealand from 2 to 5 November, I wish them all the best.

Ben Donohoe Run and Walk for Fun

MR COE (Ginninderra) (5.33): I rise this evening to put on the record the Run and Walk for Fun event in memory of Ben Donohoe. It is an event which raises money for the ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The event is in memory of Ben. It is a wonderful family day out, binding the community together in the social side of keeping fit.

The story of Ben is a very sad one. He passed away in 2005 after an eight-week battle with a brain tumour. However, it is lovely that we can all remember him and those


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