Page 747 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 8 March 2016
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A couple of weeks ago I attended an end-of-year celebration with the Canberra Capitals, who were coming together to celebrate the end of their year and also to say farewell to a couple of very elite athletes. I was so compelled and so moved by the speech that former Capitals and Australian Opals member Lucille Bailie gave in her recognition of Carrie Graf that I wrote an op ed at HerCanberra because I thought that was a story that needed to be told and shared with the broader ACT community.
Lucille recounted a defining moment for Carrie Graf when she was seven years old at a primary school—only a couple of years younger than my own daughter—when, despite being the best cricketer of her age, she was not allowed to play in the school team. Carrie asked why, and the response she got back was, “Because you’re a girl.” From that setback, Carrie did not take no for an answer. The saying that Carrie has been renowned for amongst Caps players is “Fire in your belly, ice in your veins.” Her determination is legendary, but the leadership, care and understanding of young female players still growing up and often juggling a part-time job with basketball are some of the qualities that those in the Caps family will miss the most from Carrie Graf.
We have been lucky to look up to the Caps over the years with leaders like Carrie Graf and Jessica Bibby, but we have also had the Canberra United team in the W-League, another top-tier women’s team with a growing profile, with women like Heather Reid. We have also had access to national women’s teams like the Southern Stars, who played at Manuka Oval last month. And I also make reference to the fabulous Matildas. What a great way to start a celebration for International Women’s Day today.
I also want to pay tribute to the Brumbies. Who would have thought 20 years ago that we would be speaking so publicly about domestic and family violence and supporting women and families who have experienced domestic and family violence where the Brumbies donated $20,000 if they got 20,000 spectators at their game? They exceeded that and they made the donation. This year they have announced that DVCS, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service, is their charity partner for this season. It shows that it is not just government policies that bring change in our community; it is the community itself.
Today I also want to make mention of Alisa Draskovic and the YWCA with their “This is not a wife beater” campaign. People may have seen this crossing their social media pages. They have been bringing attention to the issue of domestic and family violence with a clear message, on coffee cups from cafes all across this city, that we can all contribute to ending violence against women by changing the way we think, talk and act. What I have found so remarkable and inspiring about this campaign is the willingness of cafes, eateries and restaurants across the ACT to come on board with this and have a conversation about it with people in the community who are coming to purchase their morning coffee. It is a great campaign. I encourage members to get on board and take their coffee cups—which they should have received in their offices—to their coffee place and continue the conversation with people in their community about ending family and domestic violence.
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