Page 3823 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 24 August 2010
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from the Greens putting up his tent very early in the morning and Robert—unfortunately he is a Bulldogs supporter, so I guess he might have been happy with some of the Greens’ results but probably not the football results that day. The daughters of the independent, John Glynn, were also there. I think they had a good day, but my guess is that they probably will not be rushing back to do it again.
I would like to commend all of the workers from the various parties for their great contribution on the day. It really was uplifting to see what a great democracy we have when fierce adversaries in a political sense can all work hard in the interests of what we consider will make Australia a better place.
Australian Football League in Canberra
Greater Western Sydney football campaign
MR COE (Ginninderra) (5.28): I rise to commend AFL Canberra and also give a plug for the ACT for GWS campaign. AFL Canberra is, of course, an extremely professional sporting body in the territory that has 23 clubs in the region with competitions in both male and female categories ranging from junior Auskick right through to senior division 1.
In particular, I would like to commend the football operations team, led by Rowan Johnstone; the senior football operations manager, Russell Taylor; and Tamarah Knox, the junior and female football operations manager. They do a superb job. I think the interest in Aussie rules in the territory and indeed across Australia is due in large part to the very professional organisation of the regional AFL committees and AFL professional staff.
I would like to give a plug to the board of directors of AFL Canberra—in particular Gerard Rees, the chair; Gary Buchanan; Paul Walshe; Peter Woods; Linda Muir; Matthew Cossey; Geoff Gosling; John Fleming; and Ross Lawler—the AFL Canberra junior advisory committee: the chair, Linda Muir; Ross Norgate; Tony Stubbs; Lara Hayes; Mark Ackland; Tamarah Knox; and Cameron James—the AFL Canberra female football advisory committee: Linda Muir; Melissa Backhouse; Bronwyn Fagan; Christine Wallace; Chris Rourke; Melinda Kershaw; Erin Molan; and John Love—and also the AFL Canberra representative football advisory committee which is chaired by Paul Walshe, with Keith Miller, Tamarah Knox, James Ceely and Geoff Gosling on the board.
The AFL’s campaign for a team in Greater Western Sydney is one that I think presents some very exciting opportunities for us in the ACT. Whilst there are doubts about whether the ACT could support a football team on its own, I think the opportunity to have a franchise based in Sydney with a strong presence in the ACT is something that is very exciting indeed. I was fortunate enough to go to a breakfast earlier in the month where Kevin Sheedy was the guest speaker. The role that he is playing with GWS is very exciting and is one, I think, that all Canberrans should get behind.
Whilst many of Canberra’s AFL fans will already have their own allegiances, I think getting behind the GWS for ACT campaign will help build the base here and will be good for football everywhere. Team GWS is giving Canberra the opportunity to play
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