Members Satement
Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (09:41): A big happy birthday to Poowong, which celebrated 150 years since its founding recently. Poowong is a beautiful, community-centred town in the rolling green hills of south-west Gippsland. Originally cut from the giant forests of the Strzelecki Ranges, it is now a centre for beef and dairy production, with a large export abattoir and more community facilities per capita than most small towns around the country. Poowong has a great community spirit and has always been willing to get in and help itself without waiting for governments or outsiders to step in. It has also been willing to take the mickey out of its name, most famously hosting the world premiere of the toilet humour Australian movie classic Kenny. It was a pleasure to join several hundred locals in the Poowong hall to celebrate the town’s birthday.