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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 5 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1382 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

They meet their charter in achieving the message that they give in celebrating that part of our culture. They are educating people about that part of our culture, which is very important. It would certainly not be moved in this way with any disrespect for what they do. It is an acknowledgment of the most amazing way that both the paid and volunteer staff carry out the work that they do. That is what is being recognised.

With that, I accept the support of the Assembly and look forward to the reception to honour these men and women who tell the tremendous story of what has gone before, so that we might not repeat that folly in the future.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Adjournment

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

Darcy Scollen benefit night

MR SMYTH: (9.09): Mr Speaker, the next time somebody tells you that Canberra has no heart or soul, I want you to refer them to the Darcy Scollen benefit night that was held at the Southern Cross Club last night.

Darcy Scollen is the 12-month-old son of Allan Scollen, who died in February this year in a car accident. He played first grade rugby for Royals. I wish I could bottle what happened last night. The community got together without much todo, without much publicity, and raised many tens of thousands of dollars to support this family.

Allan is survived by his wife, Bec, and 12-month-old Darcy. Bec is pregnant with their second child, who is due in June. I am proud to say that a group of Canberrans put on the most amazing night that you would ever have the honour to attend. The group included John Scollen, Anne Scollen, Sue Scollen, Michelle Smyth and her husband Damien-who happens to be my brother, of whom I am immensely proud-Bill Salter from Royals, Clayton Brown, Graham Boddington, Dougal Whitten, Brian Rosiak, Brendan Jones, Peter Quinn, the auction team and many others. They wanted to help a family in need, and they achieved that.

Companies like Boral-a good corporate citizen-flew Gordon Bray down and put him up for the night. Gordon brought his mate Norman May. A character called Dick Thornett, who some would remember from the 1960s, also came . He played rugby league and water polo for Australia. We had Carl Bruten, Mal Meninga, Justin Harrison from the Brumbies and Cameron Plither from the Brumbies. Marty Haynes did the auction, Phil Lynch did the MC-ing, Jeff Diddier did some of the MC-ing, and what they wanted to do was put in place a memory of their friend Wally.

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