GRIEVANCE DEBATE
Ms URQUHART (Braddon) (12:40): I rise today to celebrate some very special milestones in my electorate of Braddon, milestones that speak to culture, community inclusion and the extraordinary people who make regional Tasmania and my electorate such a wonderful place to live, work and learn. First, I want to recognise the 50th anniversary of the Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre and keeping place at Mersey Bluff in Devonport.
Officially opened on 16 October 1976, Tiagarra is one of the oldest Aboriginal operated cultural centres and keeping places in Australia. For half a century, it has held, protected and shared culture. Tiagarra stands on a place of great cultural significance.
The bluff contains Aboriginal sites and evidence of occupation and cultural activity extending back thousands of years. It is a place where history is not simply displayed; it is lived, it's taught, and it's carried forward. Through exhibitions, guided experiences, school visits, community events and time on country, Tiagarra gives people an opportunity to listen, to learn and to better understand the continuing culture of Tasmania's Palawa people.
This anniversary belongs to all the Aboriginal people who have kept Tiagarra strong through changing times. I acknowledge the elders, cultural leaders, staff, volunteers and supporters, whose determination has sustained this precious place. I particularly recognise the work of Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation, which operates Tiaggara and creates opportunities for cultural education, employment, connection and wellbeing.
I also want to pay my huge respect to Dave Gough, who has led Tiagarra through remarkable growth and change—tough times but good times—and for his work connecting younger generations to culture and country. I am proud that the Albanese Labor government has supported Six Rivers with funding to help Tiagarra open full time, to strengthen cultural engagement and to build stronger outcomes for Aboriginal people right in north-west Tasmania.
The centre's 50th anniversary is not only a celebration of what has been achieved; it is also a promise that this culture, knowledge and connection to country will be respected and supported for generations to come. I also want to celebrate the transformation of Boat Harbour, one of the most beautiful and best loved places on the north-west coast. With the support of the state and federal government and the local council, a new Boat Harbour Beach Surf Life Saving Club and community facility is now at the heart of a safer, more accessible and more welcoming foreshore precinct.
This $12.5 million redevelopment is a great example of what can be achieved when all levels of government and the community work together. The Australian government contributed $4.5 million through the Priority Community Infrastructure Program, alongside $2.7 million from the Tasmanian government and around $5.3 million from the Waratah-Wynyard Council. The result is much more than a new building.
The surf life saving club now has fit-for-purpose facilities that will support beach patrols, training and the development of the next generation of lifesavers. The precinct also includes upgraded public amenities, improved parking, better footpaths, accessible beach access, recreation areas and landscaping. These improvements will serve local families, community groups and visitors for decades, and, of course, the wonderful Seekers Bar & Cafe has relocated into the new facility.
It's long been a part of the experience of visiting Boat Harbour Beach, a place to meet friends, enjoy good food and take in the remarkable view that is offered there. Its new home brings hospitality, surf lifesaving and community activity together under one roof, making the precinct an even better destination for locals and tourists. I also welcome the recent federal funding of over $5,500 for a new beach wheelchair at Boat Harbour.
This was funded through the Accessible Australia Initiative. It may be a comparatively modest investment, but its impact will be extremely meaningful. It will help people with disability enjoy the beach and the water with family and friends and participate more fully in community life.
Our beaches and public spaces should be places where everyone feels welcome. Accessibility is not an optional extra; it is central to good community infrastructure. Combined with the wider precinct upgrades, the new beach wheelchair will open one of our region's most natural treasures to more people.
None of these achievements happened without determined local leadership. Today, I want to give a special shout out to the mayor of Waratah-Wynyard, Dr Mary Duniam, as she prepares to step down after 21 years of service on council, including four years as mayor. Mary's leadership has always been grounded in a genuine connection with local people.
She listens carefully, understands the challenges facing families and communities and works hard to make sure that their voices are heard. Her advocacy for better services and opportunities, particularly for children and families, reflects the practical and compassionate way that she has led. Mary has also been a trailblazer.
Elected to council in 2005, she became deputy mayor in 2014 and Waratah-Wynyard's first female mayor in 2022. Her contribution has extended well beyond the municipality through leadership in local government across Tasmania and nationally, as well as her work encouraging and mentoring women to stand for public office. I have greatly enjoyed working with Mary over the years.
I valued her honesty, her sound judgement and determination to secure the best possible outcomes for the people that she represents. Just as importantly, I valued her friendship. Mary should be immensely proud of the legacy she leaves, and the Boat Harbour precinct is one very visible part of that legacy.
I wish her every happiness for the next chapter of her life. I also acknowledge two other Braddon mayors who are not recontesting. Peter Freshney, Mayor of Latrobe Council, and Marcus Blackie, Mayor of King Island Council.
Peter, is stepping aside after 15 years as mayor. Over that time, he has been a steady and persistent advocate for a growing municipality stretching, from Latrobe to Port Sorell and the surrounding communities. Regional councils face real pressures from roads, housing and child care to emergency management and sporting facilities, and Peter has consistently worked to keep these needs on the agenda.
Marcus has served four years as mayor of King Island, bringing energy and resolve to one of Australia's most remote communities. Leading a very remote offshore island council brings challenges that mainland communities do not always see—freight and transport, workforce shortages, access to services, infrastructure costs and the constant need to ensure that decision-makers understand island life.
Marcus has worked full-time in the role, championing the island and fighting for its future. Regional mayors are champions for communities and can, too often, miss out. They know that distance should never mean disadvantage.
They understand that a delayed project, a missing service or an unreliable connection has a very different impact in a small town or on a remote island. They bring local knowledge to the table. They build partnerships and keep pushing, often long after the cameras have gone.
I want to thank Mary, Peter and Marcus for their service, for their persistence and for their commitment to their communities. Public service asks a great deal not only of those who hold office but also of their families. Each of them leaves with the respect and gratitude of the people that they have represented.
I want to pass on my thank you to them and their families. From Tiagarra's 50 years of culture and education to the new Boat Harbour surf club, cafe and beach wheelchair, we are reminded what can be achieved through pride, partnership and persistence. These are stories of people caring for culture, looking after one another and building stronger regional communities.
That is the true character of Braddon, and it is certainly worth celebrating, in my view.