Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 3076 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The Canberra region has also had an outstanding Olympic Games with the likes of Queanbeyan's Megan Still winning gold in the female lightweight double sculls and Australia's first gold medallist of the games, Michael Diamond from Goulburn, winning the single trapshoot. I would also like to congratulate Fiona Robinson, who was part of the Australian women's basketball team which won our first ever Olympic medal in that sport, with victory over the Ukraine for the bronze.

There is no doubt that these athletes, as well as officials and other Olympians from around Australia, received a terrific welcome home in the parade. We had 69 Olympic athletes in that parade. The press estimated that there were about 20,000 people there, including in excess of 4,000 ACT schoolchildren. They were bussed there in around 50 ACTION buses and 13 private buses, as well as in private transport, and those students from schools near Civic walked there. I am delighted to say that, once again, ACT schoolchildren will be part of the welcome home celebrations for our outstanding contingent of the Australian Paralympic team next Thursday, 12 September. When you count a couple from the AIS, the ACT had 13 representatives in that team. That is about 8 per cent of the total Australian team, and they brought home some 25 per cent of the gold medals.

Mr Speaker, in contrast to the Olympic parade, where the children were on the roadside, as I said in question time, the schoolchildren will be part of the celebrations in Glebe Park. That will give them a great opportunity to mix with and congratulate their Paralympic heroes. As I also said, the Government will also endeavour to get as many as possible of the students in our special education classes to be part of those celebrations.

The results for the ACT Paralympians are as follows: Damien Burroughs, in track and field, a gold medal; Gemma Dashwood, in swimming, three gold medals and two silver; David Evans, in track and field, two gold and one silver; John Eden, in track and field, one bronze; Lisa Llorens, in track and field, one gold and one bronze; Hamish McDonald, in track and field, one gold; James Normahas, in pistol shooting, one bronze; Sharon Rackham, in track and field, one gold; and Judith Young, in swimming, three silver and one bronze. Other athletes from the ACT who competed were Garry Crocker, in wheelchair rugby; Peter Dowling, in track and field; Richard Nicholson, in power lifting; Francis Stanley, in track and field; and Sam Rickard, in track and field. It was truly an outstanding performance, and I support Mr Hird's motion, which calls on the Assembly to congratulate those magnificent athletes.

MS FOLLETT (4.24): Mr Speaker, I am delighted to support Mr Hird's motion congratulating our Olympians and Paralympians. I, for one, as an Australian, have been absolutely bursting with pride at seeing the success that our countrypeople have had in both the Olympics and the Paralympic Games. I think it is a particular thrill as a Canberran, where you know personally some of these people who are competing, to be able to watch them competing with enormous success in the best competition in the world. The feeling of pride really is very difficult to overstate, Mr Speaker. It is an extraordinary achievement by them and, of course, it is a marvellous reflection on the community that has sent them forward to the Olympics and the Paralympics.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .