Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown)—I would like to acknowledge Taj Horadam of Redhead, who was recognised as the male Newcastle Permanent Hunter Surf Lifesaver of the Year on 6 February.

Each of the Hunter Region's thirteen surf lifesaving clubs, from Catherine Hill Bay in the south up the coast to Tea Garden Hawks Nest, nominate a male and female for the award, with the winners selected based on a written application and interview with the judges.

Taj is thirteen and attends Whitebridge High. Surf lifesaving is in the family, with his dad Jason currently serving as Redhead SLSC Nippers age manager and having previously served as the club's president. Taj nominates him as an inspiration, but I reckon Taj is pretty inspiring himself.

At the State Championship Age Surf Race last year, Taj stopped competing to help out a fellow competitor who had run afoul of a blue bottle. His willingness to help those in need goes beyond the beach, too—he has helped a fellow school student after they fell unconscious, staying with them until paramedics arrived. My congratulations to Taj on this outstanding achievement. Very well deserved!

A Community Recognition Notice is an opportunity for an MP to submit a short statement praising the work of an individual or group in the local community. If you have any ideas about people I can recognise with a Community Recognition Notice, please email and let me know!