Page 3302 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Later north Canberra was joined to this sewer through a pipe incorporated into Commonwealth Avenue bridge with a vent, or stink pipe, in one of the four bridge towers that were built to disguise this fact. The Weston plant was replaced in the 1970s by the lower Molonglo centre, which has been upgraded over the years to keep pace with world’s best practice and Canberra’s population growth. We can be very proud that our city’s affluence is matched by the quality treatment of our effluent.
Western District Rugby Union Football Club
MR COE (Ginninderra) (5.18): I rise today to speak about the Western District Rugby Union Football Club—or Wests, as it is more commonly known. The club has a strong culture which extends beyond the field and into the families of all associated with the club. Wests has grown from humble beginnings in 1962 when the Lyneham Rugby Union Football Club was formed with an emphasis on junior rugby. The next year, the first senior Lyneham rugby team was entered into the ACT competition. The Western District Rugby Union Club in Jamison was opened in 1970 and signalled the formal change from Lyneham to Wests. The club continued to maintain its link to Lyneham High School with the club colours of maroon and blue and the rampant lion emblem.
The club was particularly successful during the 1970s, and in 1974 it was the first club in Australian history to win all four senior grade premierships. The 1980s and 1990s were a period of rebuilding for the club. During this time Wests juniors played an important part in the development of new players at the club. The highlight of the 2000s was the 2005 season when Wests became the first ACT rugby club to achieve grand final victories in all five senior grades.
Last Friday I was pleased to attend the Wests annual presentation night. I would like to place on the record my congratulations to all the award winners for 2013. The key club award recipients are as follows. The young lion of the year for the best under 18 player in the club was Harrison Lloyd. The best colt forward under 20 years was Harrison Lloyd. The best colt back under 20 years was Tim Small. The Ron Moloney award for on and off the field achievements was Gus McKerchar. The Reg Crilley clubman of the year was Graeme Cook. The president’s trophy for the best player in first grade was Michael Smith and the JB Stokes award for the club player of the year in all grades was Michael Smith.
I would also like to pay tribute to the club’s committee—the president, David Bensley, the vice-president, Graeme Cook, the treasurer, Tony Scott, the secretary, Richard Wyche, the club captain, Drew Southwell, the juniors president, Amanda Harris, and the juniors vice-president, Kev Whitton. Other members of the committee are Angus McKerchar, Craig Seaton, Shane Campisi—who is also the immediate past present of the club—Ben Coutts, Anthony Hayes, Jon McGrath, Luke Roberts, Paul Simmons and Neil Bensley.
At present the club does not have a permanent home. Whilst I commend the ACT government for bringing online Weetangera oval for the club, the club does need a clubhouse. Given the ACT and commonwealth governments have invested in similar
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video