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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 12 Hansard (13 November) . . Page.. 3602 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Assembly about where it wants to go with that road and how it wants to proceed to build it.

World Masters Games

MR HARGREAVES (9.21): Mr Speaker, I want to speak very briefly about a couple of achievements by Canberra teams in the World Masters Games in Melbourne. I know that Mr Stefaniak takes a keen interest in this sort of information in adjournment debates.

There is a netball team called the Canberra Spirits, a composite team of people from around Canberra. It won seven out of eight games in Melbourne, against world-class opposition-we are talking about the World Masters Games.

I have an email here from Janelle Wheatley, who is one of the team, and she has been with us for a long time. It told about the buzz she got walking on the MCG in the opening ceremonies. I mean, what a buzz. They are representing the ACT and they win seven out of eight games-thank you very much.

I think we owe them a bit of congratulation. Interestingly, she was saying that that mob had applied for a grant from the sport and recreation department but they could not get a grant because they are not an incorporated body. Yet they could still play in the World Masters Games. So there seems to be something a bit odd there. I do not know the solution. I only point out the difficulties that are there. Maybe later on somebody will look at that. They are going to compete in the Australian Masters Games in 2003, and the Assembly should be aware that that will be held here in Canberra. So I'm hoping that it will be eight out of eight games on our own home turf.

I would also like to advise the Assembly of another team that had a bit of an achievement down there. We sent some composite soccer teams down to the World Masters Games. Of course, our esteemed Treasurer is a gold medal holder for that supremely active sport of lawn bowls. But this particular group of people went and played soccer down in Melbourne. Soccer is really huge down in Melbourne. People often think it is only an AFL town-it certainly is, but soccer is pretty strong there too, let me tell you. I advise the house that the Canberra over-45s team, which is a composite team from all over town again, brought home the gold medal.

We are talking about the World Masters Games, and the over 45s soccer team from Canberra brought home a gold medal, in that kind of company. The guy behind that team is named Mike Lucas. I would like to just pay tribute to those two teams, and I would like the Assembly to know the achievements of two great Canberra teams.

Statement by Ms Tucker

MR PRATT (9.24): Mr Speaker, I rise briefly to place on the record my condemnation of Ms Tucker's comments today in the Iraqi war debate, where she likened this country's Prime Minister, John Howard, the USA's President Bush and the UK's Prime Minister Blair to those in the terrorist category. These were appalling and obscene comments. Where do you get off, Ms Tucker? Where is she? She is not here. Firstly, she has denigrated the commemoration of the victims of blatant civilian-targeted terrorism and

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