Renee Coffey (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

For nearly 100 years, the Coorparoo Bowls Club has been part of the heartbeat of our community, a place where people come together across generations. It's a club that welcomes locals in a way our community does best—warmly, easily and genuinely. For my family, the Coorparoo Bowls Club is a place that is filled with so many great memories of meals, drinks, conversations and great music. I've been hollering at my children to stay off the greens for as long as they could walk. No-one else seems to be worried, but I'm always trying. The club is treasured by our locals. It's a clubhouse where families feel comfortable, where people know each other and where you can drop in and feel right at home. It's a real home for live music. It backs performers every single week, creating a stage to showcase their talent. I have fond memories of dropping in with my friend Nance for a Sunday session with Mojo Webb.

Of course, at its heart, this is a bowls club and the green is always busy. The club has so many competitive players that they rotate rosters for interclub matches. That says something important about participation and about pride. It's a place people commit to.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 09:45 to 10:08

Of course, at its heart this is a bowls club, and the green is always busy. The club has so many competitive players, and they rotate rosters for interclub matches. That says something important about participation and about pride. It's a place people commit to. They show up week after week, session after session. What makes Coorparoo Bowls Club truly special is how much it gives back. This is not just a club that serves its members; it serves our community. It supports local charities and community organisations, including Stepping Stone Clubhouse, the MND and Me Foundation and Parkinson's Queensland. It's a club that shows up for our local groups in practical ways by hosting events that bring people together and raising funds for good causes. Late last year, I attended the Carina kindy trivia night, held at the club. It was one of those nights that felt exactly like our community: a bit of fun, plenty of laughter and a real sense of community spirit.

And of course there is the annual Cooper's Cup barefoot bowls day, drawing hundreds of people and supporting local charities. I regret to say that, when I competed, we lost 6-1. I thought my two boys might redeem us in the pie-eating contest, but it was not to be.

It's also worth saying plainly that this club is well run. It turns a profit year after year. That is the maker of a good club—a community that keeps showing up, bringing friends, booking tables, joining teams and supporting what the club offers. It shows that this place is built on connection and that it is sustainable. I'm concerned to hear reports that the future of Coorparoo Bowls Club is once again uncertain despite its success and everything that this club has built. I urge Bowls Queensland to work hard to ensure this club, an exemplary club in our state, is supported to continue its central role in our community.

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