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Mr ANDREW STONER (Oxley—Leader of The Nationals) [5.36 p.m.]: I share with the House a very special event that took place recently in the electorate of Oxley in beautiful Kempsey on the mid North Coast. I referred to the Aboriginal Elders Debutante Ball, which was held on the evening of 29 July. My wife, Cathy, and I were honoured to receive the debutantes on that wonderful night. These ladies are admired and widely respected in their communities. They arrived wearing their best dresses, with their hair beautifully done, with big smiles—and, in some cases, tears—as they were presented in the traditional way. They were partnered by men, many of whom were also elders.
I would like to mention the people involved in that wonderful Elders Debutante Ball, which was a marvellous event for the Aboriginal community on the mid North Coast and for people throughout Australia. It was covered by the ABC program Message Stick, and I am sure it was a wonderful program. My wife and I were honoured to receive those debutantes, who included a number of elders from mainly the Dunghutti people from the Macleay Valley, the Thunghutti from the Upper Macleay area, the Gumbangirri from the Nambucca Valley, but also as far away as the Kamilaroi people from Moree and the Wiradjuri people from western parts of New South Wales.
I shall mention specifically some of the debutantes who attended. Most of these ladies are referred to as "Auntie" as they are elders in their communities. They are Tanya Roberts, partnered by Keith Roberts; Melva Wright, partnered by Robert Silva; Lillian Greenup, partnered by David Kelly Junior; Cheron Murray, partnered by Luke Donovan; Elaine Fernando, partnered by Dave Fernando Junior; Rosemary Vale, partnered by Edward Vale. I am sure the honourable member for Canterbury knows many of these wonderful people.
Also presented were Jeanine Sines, partnered by Neville Kyle Cohen; Jacqui Welsh, partnered by Paul Davis Jnr; Kerry Wade with Shaun Wade; Ruth Dunn with Noel Dunn; Kathy Cox partnered by Alex Cox; Gladys Quinlan from Bellbrook partnered by Douglas Ridgeway; Roseleen Dungay partnered by Fredrick Dickson; Mavis Davis from Kempsey with Cyril Davis; Mary-Lou Buck, with whom I have had a long association, partnered by Clarrie Hoskins; Jessie Vale with Gary Mcleod; Lionell Donovan with Martin Ballangarry, who is on the council in the Nambucca shire; Sandra Dungay with Timothy Dungay; and Ethel Hoskins with Sam Hoskins.
Also presented were Enid Wright partnered by Victor Dixon; Elaine Widders with Richard Widders; Helen Dargin with Arthur Slade; Iris McCudden with Bo McCudden; Amelia Cavanagh partnered by Michael Foxwell; Noela Donovan with Lindsay Donovan; Betty Faulkner with Fredrick Kennedy; Yvonne Roberts with Joshua Donohue; Cecilia Flanders partnered by Ellis Bradshaw; Shirley McManus partnered by Mathew Ostler; Winifred Kelly with Lewis Kelly; Phyllis Mosley with Uncle William Allen; Marjorie Ritchie with Scott Ritchie; Margaret Ridgeway with William Walker; Zona Moran with Lance Moran junior; Janet Smith, a wonderful lady, with David Scholes senior; Frances Donovan with Raymond Donovan; Marjorie Vale with Tyrone Smith; Grace Quinlan with Lyle Quinlan; Zella McLeod with Stephen McLeod; Kathleen Morris partnered by Corey March; and Cinderella Callaghan, who is well and truly in her 80s, along with Dane Callaghan.
I congratulate those debutantes and their partners. In particular I congratulate the organising committee comprising Tammy Newman, Adela Vale, Angela Roberts and Kerry Wade. I congratulate also the Booroongen Djugun Aboriginal Corporation, which assisted on this wonderful night. It touched my heart to see these wonderful ladies being presented as debutantes.
Ms LINDA BURNEY (Canterbury—Parliamentary Secretary) [5.41 p.m.]: I join the Leader of The Nationals in congratulating the debutantes. I attended a debutante ball in Kempsey about three or fours ago. Debutante balls are a great tradition in Kempsey, and the significance of what the Leader of The Nationals said is that many of these people were not even recognised as citizens when they were young. To see them being presented is wonderful. I thank the Leader of The Nationals for bringing this to the attention of honourable members.