David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the days preceding 3 May this year the whole Hastings Valley, Port Macquarie and the mid-North Coast had been lashed by storms and tempest commonly known as leftovers of an east coast low. By the morning of 3 May, however, the skies had opened, sun was shining and Ironman Port Macquarie rolled on for the 10th time. This ultimate endurance event involves over 1,200 athletes who compete in a gruelling race on one of the most scenic yet hard courses in Australia: a 3.8-kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre bike ride and a 42.2-kilometre run. It is the 10th year that Ironman Australia has operated in Port Macquarie, having been in Forster-Tuncurry before that, and this is the 30th anniversary in Australia.

The community literally comes alive during race weekend. Over 2,000 residents of the Hastings Valley and people north and south give their time to support the event through volunteering which is led by a dedicated local organising committee. I would like to place on record my personal thanks and congratulations to them and compliment them on what a wonderful event it was. The local organising committee is chaired by Mike Reid, who has done it for many years, and he was ably assisted by vice chair Greg Laws, Vanessa Gray, Dr Bill Lancashire, Dr Jen Law, Sue Reid, Lyndal Harper, Rob and Jan Crombie, Ian Barber, Fred Axford, Tony Wright, Tim Atherton, Kristy Whiting, Janine Beusnel, Leanne Armstrong, Paul Jones, and Deb and Stu Ward.

But they could not have done it all by themselves. There were 2,000 volunteers, as I mentioned, including an amazing water-safety team from the local surf-lifesaving clubs. In fact, they would have to be the safest water-safety team of all the ironman events in the world. You were as safe there as you would be anywhere else; and, considering it was in a flooded river, that was amazing. There were volunteers in the medical tent and in the massage tent. There were street directors and people handing out supplies of water and other drinks. Everyone gets involved.

I would like to compliment all of Hastings Valley and the Port Macquarie region for their continued support. This event brings roughly $4 million a year into the Port Macquarie economy. If you multiply that over 10 years—with the same sorts of figures for the Forster-Tuncurry economy in the years before that—it is an amazing event. My thanks to all those involved in volunteering for and supporting this wonderful Toyota ironman event.