Tonight I was pleased to recognise the extraordinary work of Father Chris Bird SSC, who has been the Parish Priest of Adamstown for thirty years. This is what I said:



Father Christopher Bird was ordained as a priest to serve in the Anglican Church in 1979. He has ministered as the Rector of the Parish of Adamstown, which crosses the electorates of Newcastle and my electorate of Charlestown, since 1989.

He also serves as a Chaplain to the NSW Police Force and is a past Provincial Master of the Society of the Holy Cross.

Father Chris is an active volunteer referee and a life member of the Northern NSW State League Football Referees Association.

He and his wife, Meri, manage a lively and creative local community theatre company called Theatre on Brunker, which is situated on the church's campus.

On Sunday 1December a celebratory Mass will be held at Saint Stephen's Anglican Church in Adamstown to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of his ordination.

It is an extraordinary commitment to have served in Adamstown for 30 of the 40years of his ministry. On behalf of my local community I thank him, and I send him and his family my very best wishes.