Senate debates

Tuesday, 3 August 2021

Statements

Tokyo Olympic Games

1:40 pm

Photo of Hollie HughesHollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Two weeks of iso was made considerably easier thanks to the Olympics, Tokyo 2020 and 2021, and of course the outstanding Emma McKeon. If Emma were a country, as of today she would be in front of Canada. Today Emma, an individual, would be placed 14th in the world if she were swimming as a country. All of this is packaged in this humble, hardworking, swimming superstar who achieves with minimal fanfare. We need to recognise her family—a proud swimming family. With a pedigree like hers, how could she not have become our most decorated Olympian ever? Her dad, Ron, was an Olympian; her mum, Susie, went to the Commonwealth Games; her brother David was an Olympian; and her uncle Rob Woodhouse was also an Olympian. They were all swimmers. Her sister Kaitlin is an instructor at the McKeon's Swim School in Wollongong. Some Wollongong residents suggested renaming her home town 'McKeonville', but I think the placement of a pool or statue is well and truly in order.

I will take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of another great Australian, Mrs Gina Rinehart. It's through Mrs Rinehart's contribution to swimming, through the Hancock Prospecting Swimmer Support Scheme, that we've seen so many swimmers supported, but it's not just swimming that Mrs Rinehart has supported. She's supported rowing, and how can we forget our two new awesome foursomes in the males and the females. She's supported volleyball—both beach volleyball and traditional volleyball—as well as supporting artistic swimming, better known as synchronised swimming.

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