Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to speak about the glue which plays a vital role in keeping regional and rural communities together, and what I am referring to is sport. 2016 will be looked upon as the year sporting hoodoos ended right around the world. The Western Bulldogs won their first AFL premiership in 62 years, Peel won the WAFL premiership, Leicester won the Premier League and the Chicago Cubs ended a 108-year drought in the MBL.

As well as the GNFL in Geraldton, I also sponsor the North Pilbara Football League and the Central Midlands Coastal Football League in the Wheatbelt. The NPFL had another good season with player participation up, and camaraderie amongst players and clubs continued to build momentum as was noted at their recent AGM. The Karratha Kats finished third on the ladder and, in a true story of adversity, defeated the Swans 82 points to 48 in Hedland for the 2016 NPFL premiership. Michael Smith had a birthday—did he what!—kicking six goals for the Kats, who kicked six goals to none in the last quarter to come from behind at three-quarter time and win the cup. The Karratha Falcons also came from third place to win the reserves premiership. As the regional WA Liberals know, regional and rural WA punches well above its weight when it comes to sport, particularly in AFL, with the Pilbara being home to the West Coast legend former ruckman Dean Cox. Congratulations to the NPFL board, led by President Greg Braithwaite, on a brilliant season.

Like the NPFL, the AGLIME Central Midlands Coastal Football League has also produced a long list of league footballers. West Coast forward pocket Mark LeCras, the most notable of the existing crop, hails from Cervantes in my electorate of Durack. Cervantes has been a powerhouse in the league, winning 15 of the last 18 premierships—a tremendous achievement by any regional sporting club. This year they defeated Lancelin Ledge Point by 83 points to 59 to add yet another cup to their ever-growing trophy cabinet. Dandaragan knocked off the Tiger Sharks by six points in the nail-biting grand final in the reserves. CMCFL president Steve Gilbert and his board have done another brilliant job in 2016, demonstrating just how hard our volunteers in regional and rural Australia work week in, week out.

In closing, I acknowledge and celebrate all the volunteers who contribute to sporting clubs in some way to ensure that sport remains alive and kicking in regional Australia.