Mr MOSSFIELD —Last Saturday I attended the 75th annual Blacktown Show. The first Blacktown Show was opened in 1923 by the then New South Wales Premier, Jack Lang. So this show maintains a direct link with the history of the region. The show contains the usual activities such as sideshows, woodchopping, poultry, farm products and cattle exhibits.

The New South Wales Minister for Agriculture, Richard Amery, who opened the show, stated that there was still considerable agricultural activity in the Blacktown local government area. In fact, there is farm production valued at $70 million at the farm gate being generated by this region. The local government area of Blacktown also contains one of the largest single dairy farms in New South Wales. I congratulate the show president, Barnie Gallen, and his hardworking committee on an excellent run event. Barnie has been the show president for the past 30 years—a great achievement.

Blacktown is one of the fastest growing regions of Australia, with a population of 236,000 hardworking and loyal Australians who have gathered to live there from more than 147 nations. As well as its agricultural history, Blacktown now has a large manufacturing and industrial base established with major industries such as BHP, BTR, Sharp, Sanyo and the very famous engineering firm Transfield all contributing to the industrial and economic development of Australia. (Time expired)