Mr BRUCE NOTLEY-SMITH (Coogee) [7.07 p.m.]: It gives me great pleasure again today to commend the efforts of small businesses in my electorate. On Monday night I attended the Gala Awards night for Waverley Council's Best and Brightest business awards. I had the honour to present the Best Civic Heart award, one of 10 awards handed out on the night. I am proud to live and work in and to represent such a diverse and successful community as Waverley. The winners came from a distinguished list of 102 nominees, ranging from audio clinics to veterinarians, and everything in between. The great thing about these awards is that not only do they recognise stalwarts of Waverley's business community but they also recognise up-and-coming businesses making waves and serving their customers well.

The New Business With Bounce award recognises businesses that have been trading for fewer than 12 months. This year it was won by the appropriately named Bondi's Best Seafood, in Bondi, a seafood provedore and cafe with a sushi bar overlooking the iconic Bondi Beach, which is shared by my electorate and that of my colleague the member for Vaucluse. In addition to selling their produce, Bondi's Best Seafood also provides cookery schools to help its customers prepare their purchases. The Brontosaurus award is an award for businesses that have been trading for more than 15 years. This year it was won by Let's Go Surfing, at Bondi Beach. Let's Go Surfing is the only officially licensed surf school on Bondi Beach, and it has been going from strength to strength ever since it started from the back of a van in 1995. I believe that members have to declare interests to this Parliament, and I therefore declare that the owner of Let's Go Surfing and I were class captains when we were 10 years old, so I put that on the public record. I suspect also that Let's Go Surfing has the best office in the world: working in the water at Bondi.

The awards do not simply recognise business excellence either; they reward good business practices, such as quality customer service, community-mindedness, environmental awareness and access for the disabled. The Brightest and Best Front and Broadest Smile Award had four categories, one each for retail, health and beauty, cafe and restaurant and business support and professional services. The retail award was won by Lesley Lee Accessories in Charing Cross, the health and beauty award was won by Head Office Hair Specialist in Bondi Junction, the cafe and restaurant award was won by Sparrow Cafe and Bar at Bondi Beach, and the business support and professional services award was won by OPSM in Bondi Junction. The Brightest and Best Golden Bin Award is presented to the business best displaying the correct use of recycling procedures, as well as timely garbage presentation and take-in practices. This year the award was won by 119 Tattoo at Bondi Beach.

The Brightest and Best Green Footprint Award is presented to the business that takes on environmental initiatives, including conserving energy and water, good waste management practices and transport habits. This year the award went to Drygreen in Bondi Junction, an eco-friendly dry-cleaning business. The Brightest and Best Access All Areas Award recognises the efforts of businesses to develop business premises, policies or services to suit the needs of people with limited mobility and/or disabilities. Comfort and Fit in Charing Cross, specialists in orthopaedic footwear, was this year's winner. Finally, there was the Civic Heart Award, which I was asked to present. The Civic Heart award is presented to the business that best displays good corporate citizenship, including involvement, care and pride in the Waverley community. This year it was won by Gideon Shoes.

Gideon Shoes was started by Matt and Rupert Noffs as a way of providing sustainable funding to the Ted Noffs Foundation Street University in Liverpool—an organisation some members might recall I have spoken about on a previous occasion in this Chamber. The production of Gideon Shoes takes place entirely in Australia under ethical, safe and monitored conditions. Gideon Shoes wants to change the way we look at fashion products to ensure that they are not made in third-world sweatshops. I commend Matt and Rupert for their vision. The winners of these awards are not the only businesses to be commended for their efforts. In addition to 250 nominations, 102 finalists and 10 winners, many more businesses in Waverley serve their customers very well every day.