Page 869 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 18 March 2015
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The role of sport in bringing people together and improving health outcomes should not be underestimated. There is a growing body of evidence about the benefits of team sport, in particular to young boys and girls, in building resilience and the communication skills we need to prevent and resolve conflict in our own lives—essential tools we need to build an inclusive society.
The government has made some significant investments in our community sporting facilities in Gungahlin, such as the Gungahlin Leisure Centre. This pool and fitness centre is a wonderful facility and I know it is highly valued in my community. The YMCA of New South Wales, who run the centre, recently held a swimathon at the centre to raise money for people with a disability. They also recently announced the appointment of a new swimming director, Shannon Rollason, a former high performance national-level coach whose vision for the swimming program in Gungahlin is to widen the net and include more people from more backgrounds in swimming as a community activity.
The local sporting grounds range from the ovals in Palmerston and Bonner to the district playing fields in Harrison, Nicholls and Amaroo and the Gungahlin enclosed oval. These spaces bring people together every week. There are our amazing playgrounds and the innovative new park in Crace. Each week there are inclusive community activities taking place in these playgrounds. While sport is generally an inclusive activity, we know that for many people sport is not inclusive. That is why this government, in particular the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, has developed a range of programs to build inclusion in sport.
I would also like to recognise the role of community organisations and the many churches and faith-based organisations who provide community gatherings, spaces and community services in Gungahlin, from Communities@Work’s many social and community programs to the mustard seed food pantry at the Gungahlin Uniting Church and the St Vincent de Paul services run in conjunction with the Holy Spirit Catholic Parish.
At the Gungahlin Library there is a wonderful shared facility, shared between the community, Gungahlin College and CIT. With the presence of the NBN in the Gungahlin region, the library has been able to make best use of this facility through the ACT digital hub to offer free group and one-on-one services to people to learn key digital skills.
I would also like to mention the popular and very community-minded local business, My Gungahlin. My Gungahlin is a real family effort, driven by Mark and Lisa, who are dedicated to building a business that connects the Gungahlin community and is inclusive and informative.
Let me make a final mention of the broader community of Gungahlin. We are a diverse and kind community, ranging from residents of over 20 years to new residents arriving every day from many parts of the world. That sense of inclusion is apparent in local businesses, the people working in our community services and the children in our schools. There will always be more to do to promote full inclusion in our community, but we have a head start with the wonderful facilities and people in our
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