Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate a special lady in my electorate of Bass, Jill Bell. Jill is a Launceston swim instructor who has won a national AUSTSWIM award. It is appropriate that Laurie Lawrence was in parliament today for a Do the Five promotion. Jill won the 2011 national AUSTSWIM Teacher of Infants and Preschool Aquatics award and is the first Tasmanian in six years to win a national AUSTSWIM award. Jill has over 30 years experience and was acknowledged in July for her commitment to and passion for teaching young children water safety and swimming. It was Jill who introduced infant aquatics programs to the Launceston Swim School. She is clearly passionate about teaching children to swim.

AUSTSWIM described the award as being the premier award presented to individuals that achieve the highest standard of aquatics education. With so many young people enjoying water related activities during the summer, water safety and learning to swim are becoming more important than ever. Every child should know how to swim and be competent in water safety. Knowing that we have such a skilled teacher is pleasing. Every child should be a swimmer and every swimmer has the potential to be a lifesaver. Again, I congratulate Jill for her hard work over the years. I wish her all the best as she continues her teaching career. Thank you, Jill.