Each year I send out a Christmas card to all the wonderful people in my electorate of McPherson, wishing them a very safe and enjoyable break over the Christmas and New Year period, and I also provide them with a calendar for the year ahead. There are many options on the Gold Coast to get a photograph to go on the front of the Christmas card, but, in my electorate, the tradition for the last few years has been that I conduct a Christmas card drawing competition, and the winner of the competition has their drawing on the front of the Christmas card that I send out.
Entry forms are sent to all of the primary schools in my electorate, and this year we had an incredible number of participants—257 students from 15 different schools on the southern Gold Coast sent in their absolutely magnificent drawings. The winner of this year’s McPherson Christmas Card Competition is Alicia from Varsity College. Her drawing is truly fantastic and her creativity will be on display to over 100,000 people on the southern Gold Coast. I would like to extend my congratulations to Alicia, along with the following year-level runners-up: Elaina from Tallebudgera State School, Willow from Saint Augustine’s, Bodhi from Robina State School and Elise from Mudgeeraba State School.
To all of the students who participated, thank you very much. To all the teachers who helped facilitate this, thank you very much and merry Christmas to all.