Private Member's Statement

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields) (22:03): There is a saying that from small things big things grow. That is an apt description of the NSW Pacific Awards. More than a decade ago, a small group of about 30 like-minded people attended the first awards ceremony at Minto Library. The intent was clear: to recognise the achievements of people in the Pacific community. Now the NSW Pacific Awards is in its thirteenth year and hundreds of people have been lauded for their contributions to the Pacific culture and heritage. The awards are hosted by the NSW Council for Pacific Communities, which aims to empower, advocate, partner and share information across the Pacific communities in New South Wales and our wider community.

I recently had the privilege of attending the 2018 NSW Pacific Awards, as I do every year. The level of community and personal achievement on show was outstanding. South-west Sydney is home to many Pacific families who have made a wonderful contribution to our diverse community. It was evident at the awards night that there is no shortage of incredible people in our local area. Each nominee and winner represented their culture with immense pride. I particularly acknowledge my constituents who were recognised in this year's awards. Ingleburn's Josiah Livepulu was one of 15 students to represent the Pacific community in last year's Schools Spectacular. It was the first time in Schools Spectacular history that an ensemble of Pacific students featured in a segment dedicated to storytelling through dancing and singing. Josiah and the talented group of students won the Community event—Culture and Heritage Award on the night.

Tevin Henry took out the High School Education Award. The Ingleburn High School student and school captain wants to be a pilot. Tevin finishes his Higher School Certificate this year and he is looking to secure a scholarship to attend a graduate program with Qantas, Emirates or Air New Zealand. I wish Tevin every success as he works hard to make his dream a reality. If winning a silver medal at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games was not enough for Ato Plodzicki Faoagali, he also won the Professional Sports category at the Pacific Awards. Ato lives in Macquarie Fields. The 19-year-old boxer is of Samoan and Polish descent and he has worked hard in the gym to become a fine athlete.

Former James Meehan High School student Chellcey Porter won the Volunteer Senior Award. Chellcey was the first Pacific leader at the school to hold the role for two years. Chellcey showed excellent respect, commitment and skill in her role, making her family and community proud. Lynis Kepu's creative talents saw her win the Junior Visual Arts Award. Lynis is described as a passionate artist who thinks outside the box. Her teachers at Sarah Redfern Public School say Lynis is happy to take risks and embraces many styles of art from caricatures to charcoal sketches. I also acknowledge Alafou Fatu, who was highly commended in the Senior Sports Award. Alafou is a former Sarah Redfern High School student and a rising sports star. She regularly showcases her talents in rugby league, touch football, netball, rugby union and volleyball. She is, indeed, a supreme athlete.

In closing, I acknowledge the work of Mal Fruean, the chairperson of the NSW Council for Pacific Communities, and her entire executive team. They all work very hard to advocate on behalf of the Pacific community and the wider community. The 2018 NSW Pacific Awards were a huge success—as they have been every year they have been held—and are a great showcase for the achievement of our local area. I congratulate the executive team and event organisers on bringing our community together to showcase the talents and achievements of so many in the Pacific community.