CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Mr LAXALE (Bennelong) (10:34): I rise to congratulate Aleag Kourshounian, Alexandra Johnson, Amanda Harris, Angela Sharpe, Ashley Pastars, Belinda Farquhar, Benjamin Kam, Cameron Gurry, Clare Skinner, David Dai, Dhruvik Balsara, Elana Traurig, Eliza Harvey, Ethan Redman, Gary Clark, Georgia Fisher, Gerry McAdam, Glenn Slender and Hannah Taylor, who have recently won an important award and who are an important part of our Bennelong local arts community.
Believe it or not, Deputy Speaker, I've got more names to read, but what I thought I'd do is just put them in certain parts of the speech just to keep you all on your toes. On 22 August the Cameraygal Wind Symphony, part of the Lane Cove Community Bands organisation, won the New South Wales state championship for open B-grade concert bands. This is a remarkable milestone for this arts organisation, which has been serving Lane Cove for 63 years.
This win reflects both the musical excellence and the deep community spirit of Iris Lam, Jacky Pollack, Jeff Fisher, Jeff Hook, Jenny Armas, Ke Xu, Lawrence Patrick, Lindsay Frost, Matt Freeman, Matthew Impellizzeri, Max Payard, Michael Goorevich, Mira Pararajasingham, Naomi Lewandoski, Ophelia Wong, Patricia Santoso, Patty Jansen, Pippi Eisner, Rachel Clarke, Rhiannon Garvey and Richard Palmer.
There's more to come. This victory is a result of countless hours of rehearsal, commitment and collaboration. I want to pay particular tribute to Steve and Liz Raynor and the leadership of Michelle Casiglia, the Lane Cove Community Bands president, whose energy and drive keep the program thriving.
It also couldn't have been done without the Cameraygal Wind Symphony's musical director, Gavin Staines OAM, whose musical vision and tireless dedication continue to elevate the standard of performance year after year. I extend my sincere thanks to Lane Cove Council and ClubGRANTS New South Wales for their ongoing investment in the local arts, which has been incredible for Ryan Sachi, Sarah Hobson, Sarah Lewis, Simone Katz, Sophie Bork, Stephen Rosenman, Steve Salgo, Steven Raynor, Sue Burnet, Tommy Yang.
Visnja Kosanovic, Will Imlay, Xiaolong 'Rocky' Huang and Zhan Luo. Community music making is part of the fabric of Australia, and it doesn't flourish without community support. This achievement means so much to our community, and it's such an honour to celebrate the Lane Cove Community Bands here in this place.
Whilst Andrew Coates, Andrew Huzij, Jacqui Brighton, Kat Miller, Kate Barnard, Kellen Haynes, Nerida Gill, Samson Tuong, Sarah Taylor, Thomas Coates, Tim Brighton and William Solomon weren't able to attend, they're part of this wonderful group as well.