Ms BYRNES (Cunningham) (13:31): Today, I would like to acknowledge a truly remarkable man, George Bartolo OAM, who passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on 11 March 2025. He is survived by daughters Janet and Karen and is now reunited with his late wife, Lourdes (Doris) Bartolo. George had many passions, and the ones that stand out the most are his love for family, community, dogs, soccer, dancing and the Labor Party.

George was always first to hit the dance floor, lighting up every event with his infectious energy, and was always the life of the party. As a life member of the Labor Party, George advocated for social justice and a better future for all in all that he did. He was a founding member of the Illawarra Ethnic Council, now the MCCI, in 1975 and played a pivotal role in fostering multiculturalism and supporting migrants and refugees in our region. He also served as senior vice-chairman of the MCCI board for two decades, and CEO Chris Lacey is here with us today.

He was a committee member of the Illawarra Dog Training Club and a foundation member of the Maltese Community Council of NSW. He served as an executive member at the George Cross Falcons club and a foundation member of Cringila United soccer club and Wollongong Wolves. George's profound dedication to his community has left a lasting legacy for generations to come. Last Friday, I was joined by Chris Bowen, Ryan Park, Paul Scully, Tania Brown and so many others to say our final goodbyes at his funeral. Thank you, George. You will be dearly missed.