Mr KEN TAGG, CAMPBELLTOWN CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
The Hon. J. F. RYAN [4.53]: I wish to pay tribute to and congratulate a well-known Campbelltown businessman, Mr Ken Tagg, who is the owner and operator of five McDonald's restaurants in the Campbelltown and Camden areas. On Australia
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Day Mr Tagg was named as the Campbelltown citizen of the year for 1994. The award was appropriate and well deserved because of his extensive community involvement with a host of community organisations. He is a sponsor of the western suburbs rugby league football club; he sponsors the Campbelltown Harlequins rugby union football club; he sponsors and provides support to the Macarthur soccer club and the Macarthur hockey club. Every week of the school year a young person is awarded the Macarthur junior sports star award of the week, which receives billing in the Macarthur Advertiser. Mr Tagg sponsors that award also. Barely a school or recreational or sporting club in the Macarthur area has not made use of the prize vouchers that he generously distributes.
Mr Tagg has provided equipment and sponsorship for the local Police-Citizens Youth Club and bushfire equipment for the local bushfire organisation. It comes as no surprise to anyone that this week Mr Tagg received another international award through the McDonald's organisation when he was presented with the Golden Arch Award at a special ceremony in Las Vegas. He became the first Australian operator in the McDonald's company to receive this award after 23 years in which that company has carried on business in Australia. He is one of only 20 recipients of the award, which is presented every two years. The winners are selected from the 3,100 McDonald's store operators around the world. Mr Tagg was acknowledged this week also by McDonald's managing director, Mr Charlie Bell, who said not only that the prize was thoroughly deserved but that Ken Tagg was one of the company's best operators and maintains his restaurants in a manner that can be described only as second to none.
I can illustrate that point briefly by saying that all McDonald's restaurants are assessed by what they call a quality service and cleanliness - or QST - rating. Before any store operator can purchase another store he is required to have a very high rating of cleanliness, service and quality in his store. Every one of Mr Tagg's stores has a tripe-A rating. It will be news to the people in Campbelltown that Mr Tagg is likely to have the opportunity to operate another two stores. In receiving this international award from the McDonald's organisation, Mr Tagg has illustrated that he is able to carry on business and carry the flag for Australia on the international scene.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I ask Opposition members to refrain from interjecting.
The Hon. J. F. RYAN: I regret the comments that have been made by Labor Party members opposite lampooning this achievement by Mr Tagg. He is an outstanding businessman and a great contributor to the community of Campbelltown. He is worthy of credit and congratulations from members of this House because he is an Australian businessman who is showing all business operators throughout the world that Australians are capable of competing with others.