Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to speak about Wheelchair Rugby League Australia, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2010 that facilitates the premier wheelchair rugby league competitions across Australia. NRL wheelchair rugby league currently runs men's, women's and representative competitions. Many wheelchair rugby league players join these competitions straight from rehabilitation after life-changing accidents. This sport allows people of all ages to experience a team environment when they need it most and makes possible the transition from being a wheelchair user to being a wheelchair athlete who may one day represent their country or state. Their ultimate aim is to have wheelchair rugby league sit alongside men's and women's rugby league in its own right.

Last month Wheelchair Rugby League Australia head coach Brett Clark travelled to Brisbane to hold an NRL camp and skills clinic. The camp was hosted at the Morayfield Sport and Events Centre in my electorate of Longman, the venue for the upcoming Queensland versus England warm-up game to be held this Friday night, 18 October. The camp had an impressive turnout, with many keen athletes trialling out and/or giving the sport a try. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this event is inclusion of able-bodied participants, meaning the breaking down of barriers between disabled and able-bodied people. I encourage all local disability services and business in the Longman area to support this great game as it grows in Queensland.