Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today on behalf of the Parliamentary Friends of Netball to congratulate the Australian Netball Diamonds on their clean sweep in the Constellation Cup across the last two weeks. After a disappointing final in the Quad Series, the Australian Netball Diamonds went back to training and came out fighting, with that true Australian fighting spirit, to take a clean sweep of the Constellation Cup. I would like to congratulate Lisa Alexander, our national coach, for doing an amazing job with the team and I congratulate Caitlen Bassett on the terrific leadership she showed as captain throughout the series.

It was great to see it live on television. Women's sport in Australia is taking great strides. It is fabulous to see netball up there in the public eye, across the word, as a leading sport for women. It was fabulous to watch this great competition with our friends from across the ditch. Commiserations, of course, to New Zealand, to the Silver Ferns, for what must be for them a disappointing series. But good luck to them in their preparation, and we will see them again on the court at the Commonwealth Games in April in Brisbane. Go Australian Diamonds! This country is well and truly behind you and your campaigns for confident girls. I finish by saying that the Australian Netball Association are leaders in this world. I note their position on marriage equality and thank them for that position.