Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What an Olympics we've just seen, with some very interesting new sports: rock climbing, or sport climbing; three-on-three basketball; skateboarding—congratulations to Keegan Palmer; and surfing—congratulations to Owen Wright. But, as Chris Kenny asked last week on Sky, where is the netball? I agreed, and I also disclosed my role as a netball mum. Netball has been played at the Commonwealth Games since 1998. The INF Netball World Cup has been played every four years since 1963, and it now includes over 40 nations. In fact, netball is played by 20 million people in over 80 countries around the world. Far from being a girls' game, netball is now enjoyed by men and women alike. It can be played in mixed competition as well as social and competitive competitions. Domestically, 1.2 million Australians, of all ages, play netball. Our junior netball players dream of playing at the highest levels of the sport. And why shouldn't they dream of not just Commonwealth glory and world cup glory? Why can't they strive for Olympic glory?

Today I absolutely applaud Netball Australia in their move to lobby for netball to be included at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Netball Australia will work with the support of World Netball to see this fantastic sport—this exciting sport that is getting an increasing audience around the world—played at the highest level, under the five rings. I commend netball for the Olympic Games.