Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great privilege and pleasure to speak to this motion, signifying and recognising the fine contribution of surf-lifesaving in Australia in this 100th year of its operation. Surf-lifesaving epitomises the Australian way of life and our Australian culture. It is volunteers working together for the community and relying on each other—mates helping mates and mates working for their community. That is what the surf-lifesaving movement is about. Throughout the world Australian lifesavers are renowned for their skill, expertise and knowledge.

The lifesavers in the Shortland electorate have made an enormous contribution to our community. I think I am probably one of the most fortunate members of this House because I have six surf-lifesaving clubs within the Shortland electorate and each and every one of them is home to a magnificent beach. We have fantastic surf and fantastic lifesavers—men and women who put their lives on the line to save others, men and women who work together for our community.

One of the surf-lifesaving clubs within Shortland electorate is Redhead, which was the fifth club to be formed in the Newcastle surf-lifesaving branch. It was formed in 1908. We have the Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club, which—and I have news for the member for Stirling—will be host to the next Australian titles. It is an absolutely fantastic club. It has had lots of experience in the past hosting the New South Wales titles on a number of occasions. The dedicated surf-lifesavers at that club will do a fine job, just as the surf-lifesavers in his electorate and in the member for Moncrieff’s electorate did a fine job in the past.

As well as that we have the Catherine Hill Bay club, which is a smaller club but a real family club, as is the Caves Beach club. I find that each of the surf clubs within the Shortland electorate is unique. There are also two surf clubs in the Central Coast part of my electorate, the Lakes and Soldiers Beach clubs. Soldiers Beach had their presentation night last Saturday night. It recognised the contribution of the surf-lifesavers in that club. I have to put on the record in the House that Soldiers Beach has fantastic surf. If anyone is in that area, they should visit Soldiers Beach and see how the dedicated work of those surf-lifesavers has ensured the safety of the swimmers there. The Central Coast branch of Surf Life Saving Australia is now in its 66th year of operation. Its boundaries were initially set from Catherine Hill Bay in the north to the Hawkesbury River in the south. These boundaries have prevailed today. It has now grown from five surf-lifesaving clubs to 15. The two most northerly ones are in the Shortland electorate.

The Newcastle branch of Surf Life Saving Australia has a longer history. Its first surf club came into existence in 1908. As I mentioned earlier, the Redhead surf club in Shortland electorate was the fifth. The Catherine Hill Bay club was formed in 1920. When the Caves Beach club was formed there was quite a bit of angst within the community because it broke away from the Swansea-Belmont club and there was concern that there would be two weak clubs. Rather than that, we have two strong clubs serving the community and working together to see that the people in our area are safe.

I have to acknowledge the work and support of the Lake Macquarie City Council and the Wyong Shire Council. They both support the surf-lifesaving clubs in the area. Many clubs in the electorate have a 100 per cent record of patrols, and the training and the level of competency of all the surf-lifesavers within the electorate of Shortland and throughout Australia are astonishing. I have great pleasure in supporting this motion. (Time expired)

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