Page 1427 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 April 2019
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Madam Assistant Speaker, the launch was not only about the men’s team. The Jets women’s teams were front and centre too. The women’s team has a distinguished history, but this year marks a new chapter for the team. Over the past 12 months there has been some generational change in the women’s team, with wise older hands passing the ball to newer players. What has stayed the same is the dedication and camaraderie that has always been found in women’s AFL. Jets women have always been fierce competitors, and I have no doubt that this new generation will take it to them on the field.
The Jets netball teams were also part of the season launch. The Jets netball only started three years ago, but what started as one team in the first year, growing to three teams in the second year, is now seven teams in the third year. The growth is phenomenal and indicative of the passion for netball among the Gungahlin community. Several of the players, from both AFL and netball, came up to me after the official proceedings and asked what we could do to get some netball courts in Gungahlin. I am happy to put on the record that, like many other people in Gungahlin, I too would love some netball courts for the area. I am committed to working with the Jets and members of the government to realise this.
As I mentioned before, the Jets’ motto is “one club, one family”, and it is noted that Jets always fly together. It is a pretty special club. I wish every member of the Jets family a wonderful 2019 season.
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (6.00): I am pleased today to rise to talk about the fact that at last a royal commission into violence, neglect and abuse of people in the disability care sector has been agreed to and funded. For many years there has been a call to have such a commission. I have to commend my federal Greens colleague Senator Jordon Steele-John for applying enough pressure to get this finally happening. Indeed, he said that the commission was made possible because of “the disability activists who fought tirelessly, alongside our Greens movement, to see justice done”.
Our Greens movement has been working with disability rights advocates to make this day a reality since the very beginning. The Greens established and led the 2014 Senate investigation that revealed the widespread and systemic abuse experienced by disabled Australians every day. The Greens immediately called for a royal commission and continued to push for urgent action, despite the fact that the major parties did not seem to care.
I myself was a signatory to a letter in February signed by Greens members of parliaments from across the nation urging all chief ministers and premiers to support the royal commission because, although both houses of parliament up in the house on the hill had passed motions supporting the establishment of such a commission and despite there being no legal, legislative or constitutional impediment to establish such a commission, the Prime Minister made it clear that he was not going to proceed without support from his state and territory counterparts.
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