OPENING NEW FACILITIES AT YEPPOON STATE HIGH SCHOOL

_{02 August, 2007}

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Thanks very much.

It is a real delight to be here and can I start by thanking the football guys for putting on the exhibition match for us - it was just fantastic. I told them I was from Townsville not to do this opening, but to recruit for a replacement for Jonathan Thurston. They did really well and it is great to see. I asked someone who to barrack for before that game started, and they said the team wearing the colours blue and white. In fact, I love the blue and white balloons -  I have a political affiliation, which I won’t go into, but I thought isn’t that nice of them doing that for me until I realised it is of course the school colours. But congratulations to the guys.

Can I also thank the hospitality students (well perhaps I shouldn’t thank them!), for the food that they have made and served so professionally. It is really very much appreciated by me, even though it wasn’t quite on my diet! Well done guys, that was tremendous.

Thank you also to the Student Parliament, Tessa and Jamie – you’re the John Howard of the school are you Tessa? You’re the Prime Minister so to speak? Anyhow it is good to see the Student Parliament along as well.

I did want to recognise Paul Hoolihan, your local State Member - obviously a very great supporter of this area and this school, and wasn’t it great to hear from Brian Dorey? Brian, I thought you were here because everywhere I go in Yeppoon, you are there. Because of your long connection with this school, being here for this opening is icing on the cake for you, and rightly so.

I wanted also to recognise my old mate at these things, Lyn Foley, and of course Kirsten Livermore, my colleague in the Federal Parliament. Kirsten and I don’t always see eye to eye on a lot of things but I do know she is very devoted to this area. It is good to see you.

The Federal Government of course is delighted to be involved in this. I am representing John Howard and Julie Bishop, the Minister for Education on the official opening of these reconstructed sports oval, the new storage facility the recycled water system and tanks - which are very skilfully hidden away so they can’t be seen. It is a real pleasure as a member of the Federal Government to be able to see the good results of the Investing in Our Schools Programme.

Obviously this school is very well led, and Mrs McDade you have a great staff here and a very supportive Parents and Citizens Association. I did want to mention Laura Lubensbatz, Muriel Boon and Graeme Page from the Parents and Citizens Association for their hard work and support for the school.

Schools can only do so much with a good staff and they do need a very supportive Parents and Citizens, and quite clearly you have that here at Yeppoon State High School.

I have known Graeme, as he reminds me, from a former life, and he was very skilled and professional and achieved greatness in his former life and I can see that he has excelled, emulated and succeeded that here in his role as Secretary of the Yeppoon State High School Parents and Citizens Association. If you have ever tried to go through the myriad of red tape that is needed for these grants, then you would appreciate just what a fabulous job that Graeme has actually done here, and will continue to do.

Perhaps after what we have learned today, we should be naming this the Graeme Page, or perhaps now the Brian Dorey oval! Congratulations!

I also understand that Rick Williams the groundsman did a great job and David Scott supplied the grass and has it growing beautifully on the oval.

As I say, I am delighted that the Federal Government was able to put $150,000 into this and into recycling water. I had not been fully briefed on the extent of the recycling and am very interested in Brian’s account of that, and I must say that that it doesn’t surprise me that this recycling has occurred, because the Livingstone Shire Council, with Brian and the other Councillors, has been at the forefront of many projects which are well know across the state. Though I am sure they are not the first with the recycled water - they are amongst the first of what is going to be an increasing activity and use for our recycled water in the years ahead.

I did want to particularly acknowledge the Livingstone Shire Council, the P and C Association and Ravi Setu Pacific Properties for the funding of $77,800 they raised for the facilities as well.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is great for me to be back at this school; I have a connection with it and have been here once or twice before. It is great to see it continue to grow and achieve in such a positive and fabulous way. I know Mrs McDade that you have an enviable academic record at this school, and with the improved sporting facilities you are going to excel even further in sports and other areas. I am told, and I understand from my knowledge around the state, that your school band is a great success. As a politician that represents all of Queensland, it is always difficult for me to say this, but I hear that you are one of the top bands in Australia!

That led me to look at the underlying philosophy of this school, and I am delighted to read it. Encouraged to Dream, Inspired to Succeed, Empowered to Learn and Respectful of All.  I think that is a great philosophy in life and as they say, if you are encouraged to dream - to dream about greatness - to dream about where you can get in life and if you aim for the moon, but don’t quite succeed, you are surely up there with the stars. It is a great philosophy, which is one that I like following.
Inspired to succeed, there are a lot of things that inspire you – this sort of facility will inspire the sports men and women and you and your fellow staff Roseanne, inspire people to greater academic achievement as you provide empowerment of learning - which is just so essential for a our leaders of tomorrow.

Respect for All is a great philosophy. Some of your guys on the football field, some of your academic people will achieve greatness, and it is also important that those at the top also recognise that some of us aren’t quite naturally gifted and need help at times.

So I am delighted to read your school motto and see it in action. It believes in the right of the individual and the right to succeed, and looking after those that can’t quite make it. It is great. Congratulations to you and your school.

Finally, Ladies and Gentlemen, in officially saying this is open, can I congratulate all of those who have been involved and both the Principal and Brian have mentioned a lot of people, I won’t go through them but everyone who played a part -Congratulations.

With that, I ask Mrs McDade to join me to unveil the plaque.

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