Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [11.52 a.m.]: Every member of the House knows that our younger people are our future. I encourage ambitious and enthusiastic young achievers who represent all aspects of their local community life right throughout the State to apply for the 2010 Royal Agricultural Society Rural Achiever Award. The award is a statewide leadership program that is conducted by the Royal Agricultural Society to recognise future leaders who are working hard to make a significant contribution to their local community in rural areas of New South Wales and to Australia.

The award scheme is a unique opportunity for personal growth as well as for development of professional skills, knowledge and networks that are needed to enable people to be effective in regional, State, national and international arenas. The award is a chance for young people to challenge themselves. Many past recipients of the Rural Achiever Award now are employed in key agribusiness careers and work on successful properties, thanks to the networking opportunities, media attention and prizes they received in recognition of their success. Each of the eight Rural Achievers for 2010 will receive an all-expenses-paid, behind-the-scenes experience at the Sydney Royal Agricultural Society's Easter Show, invitations to official functions including a cocktail reception at Government House, an akubra hat, $1,000 in prize money, and much more.

Currently the North Coast National Show is being held in Lismore. Sadly, I was not able to be present at the official opening last night or to attend today, and I am struggling to be able to attend tomorrow. Last night Louise Hayward was crowned the 2009 North Coast National Show Girl. Royal Agricultural Society shows are held throughout country areas and provide opportunities for young people to be involved in agricultural enterprise. They also provide districts with an opportunity to display local produce and are a focal point for interaction among the people of the region and for visitors. The Lismore show is part of the North Coast show circuit that includes the Nimbin, Kyogle and Casino shows. The Alstonville and Murwillumbah shows will be held next weekend.

Exhibitors at North Coast agricultural shows will display products that have been produced despite extreme climatic conditions. Earlier this year my electorate experienced widespread floods and currently is experiencing very dry weather conditions—probably the driest I have seen throughout the whole of the North Coast area for some time. Notwithstanding that, for the first time the Woodenbong Central School on the far North Coast submitted a display to the Sydney Royal Agricultural Society show. That has prompted the society to include a schools District Exhibit competition for 2010. Everyone who attends Royal Agricultural Society shows is greatly impressed by the quality of exhibits that represent produce from various parts of the State. Woodenbong Central School entered a school's exhibit, and hopefully a formal schools competition will begin next year.

I congratulate the Woodenbong Central School's agricultural teacher, Stewart Grimmett, and the students who contributed the artwork for the exhibit. The school actively participates in agricultural shows and has entered exhibits at the Brisbane Royal Agricultural Society show. Stewart Grimmett and parents of students at the school play their part and work very hard to ensure that the Woodenbong Central School, which is at the far northern part of the State, continues to enter exhibits in agricultural society shows in Sydney and Brisbane.

I hope that the Royal Agricultural Society is able to arrange for a schools competition to become a permanent feature of future agricultural shows. As I have so often stated, the future not only of agriculture but also of politics and everything else in New South Wales belongs to our young people. Young people are our future: they are the leaders of tomorrow, and that behoves us to give young people every encouragement to achieve well. I encourage any young person in rural and regional districts of New South Wales who may wish to participate in the Rural Achiever Award to contact their local Royal Agricultural Society, which will provide them with the appropriate information.