Speech presented by Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP to the Queensland Legislative Assembly on February 21, 2023.

It is an absolute privilege and pleasure that I congratulate Sergeant Nigel Dalton, who became Mackay Regional Citizen of the Year.

He has big shoes to fill after Frank Cowell, who commenced International Men's Day in my community.

As a local constituent, he stood down from the fabulous role he has played over the 12 months.

Nigel is the Police District Crime Prevention Coordinator and a volunteer. He is passionate about the community work he does in our community.

He is also one of my local constituents in the Northern Beaches of Mackay. From online safety programs to visiting over 8,000 school students a year as the coordinator for the Crime Prevention Unit, Safety Circus, facilitating Shed Happens along with many community members, as well as street chaplaincy, Nigel is a true champion of our community.

He is committed to young people and I certainly know he connects with them.

Recently we hosted marathon swimmer Chloe McCardel to share her message not only of swimming the English Channel a record-breaking 44 times but also as a victim of domestic violence. She has toured my electorate of Whitsunday and Mackay as well as that of my colleague in Burdekin and she has also travelled to the schools in the Bowen Basin.

My colleague and I certainly congratulate Nigel on his ongoing contribution to our community. We are proud that he chose to move with his family to Australia in 2003 to now be a local Mackay person.