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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 12 Hansard (13 November) . . Page.. 3582 ..

MS MacDONALD (continuing):

outside of school, my experiences helped me form other friendships, and I think that is a good thing.

I am pleased to say, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, that last Friday night I attended the YAA awards night, which was held at Canberra Stadium. I think the young people who attended were also excited and we had a very pleasant evening at the stadium. My thanks go to the Canberra Stadium for their sponsorship.

The awards are presented in seven categories, and the major award of the evening was the young business person of the year award. While just participating is an achievement and a success in itself-whether it be to stop you from becoming an accountant when you shouldn't be one or learning that you want make business your future-I would like to mention the individuals and the projects that were awarded prizes.

The award for student company of the year went to the Now Ya Cookin cookbook project. The best product award went to FYASCO, which produced an excellent book for teenagers based on surveys of a number of teenagers from schools around the community. Anyone who has walked past my office in the last few weeks might have noticed that there is a poster in my window which is promoting the book FYASCO. I am glad to say that I do have an eye for a quality product. That attribute has remained undiminished and was borne out on the night by FYASCO being the recipient of the award for best product.

Three of the students involved with FYASCO gave a presentation to the Standing Committee on Health in the context of its inquiry into the health of school-age children. Those three students were incredibly impressive. I then went to the launch of the book FYASCO. The presentation in itself was absolutely amazing and stunning-something that all of those young people should be incredibly proud of themselves for having achieved. It was a real privilege to hear these three incredibly articulate students talk to members of the Health Committee.

The best annual report was awarded to the Now Ya Cookin report. The Now Ya Cookin project featured very prominently on the awards night. Bearing in mind my love of cooking, I will have to try to procure a copy of that cookbook.

The best business plan prize went to Funkyard, whose task it was to manufacture recycled clocks. The best e-commerce project award went, again, to Now Ya Cookin. The special achievement award was jointly awarded to two groups of students, and the winners were Yandy Dandy, who produced wizard and fairy costumes, and a group calling themselves Ya Mate, who produced a calendar promoting Leeton. As I said, the awards were presented to students from the region as well as from Canberra.

I would particularly like to recognise and congratulate the ACT young business person of the year, Jamila Rizvi. Jamila was chosen from a group of eight highly motivated finalists. I would like to also congratulate the other seven finalists-it is fantastic for them to have made it to that point as well.

I would also like to mention that the person who gave out the young business person of the year 2002 award was the young business person of the year 2001. I have his business card which he has had made up. I have to say, though, that he looked a bit nonplussed

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