Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was absolutely delighted to attend the opening ceremony for the 2021 Challenge of the Nations netball tournament, which was held at Bill Norris Oval, Beenleigh. Acting Deputy President McGrath, you would know Bill Norris Oval extremely well, as would my friend Senator Stoker.

The netball tournament was put on by a wonderful organisation called the Enuamanu Atiu Nui Maruarua Association of Queensland. The participants in the tournament—there was something like 90 teams in all—came from our Pacific family and our First Nations people. I would like to pay tribute to all the teams who participated, all the organisers and everyone involved in what was a wonderful event.

The competition is being played over two weekends—the weekend just gone and the weekend coming up—and there was a total of—if you can believe this—860 players, comprising 380 juniors and 480 seniors, with 12 teams from Cook Islands Netball Queensland, 10 First Nations teams, 17 teams from Queensland Maori Netball Inc., 11 teams from Niue Netball Queensland, eight teams from the QPNG Gold Netball Club—who hosted the opening ceremony, and I pay tribute to all of the great teenagers who dressed up in their cultural costumes to lead the march of the teams—18 teams from Queensland Samoa Netball Inc., two teams from Solomon Islands Brisbane Community Netball and 12 from Queensland Tonga Netball Inc. There was a total of 90 teams.

This is the seventh year of the competition, and I would like to make some comments in relation to the competition. Firstly, it was all about promoting the cultural identity of each of the nations represented in the tournament, and it was wonderful to see the young kids, especially, embracing their cultural identity. Secondly, you had all the Pacific family coming together with our First Nations people for this wonderful event, and it was all about bringing people together. So this wasn't just a netball competition. I have played—and Senator Stoker is smiling at me—some mixed netball in my distant past. I was not invited to participate in any of the teams, but it wasn't just about netball; it was a celebration of the cultural identity of each of our great Pacific family nations and of our First Nations people.

I would like to thank the following people for their involvement: Mr Kevin Dando, the wonderful MC, who acts as an MC in many events in the south-east corner of Queensland; Deborah Sandy and her daughter for a wonderful welcome to country, including a song in their traditional language which they shared with the audience; and Reverend Teremoana Uea, of the association, who held the opening prayer.

I'd like to specifically acknowledge the great work of the events manager, Jean Teamoke-Teao; it was wonderful work that she undertook. I acknowledge the president of the association, Teokotai Bruno TouAriki; the communications officer, Francis Ponia; the treasurer, Jessica Ina; the umpire coordinator, Tahu Whaanga, and assistant, Riley; the admin team of Pare Tapsell, Mecca Tapsell, Teano Teao and Jasmine Torope; timekeeper Ryley Ruhi—my time's running out, but I'm going to get through all these people—Cook Islands Netball Queensland representatives Ngaire-Ann Greig, Nane Glassie, and Kevin and Tupe Dando; Indigenous Australia team representative Shane Abrum, and Queensland Maori Netball Inc. representative Iris Ruhi; Niue Netball Queensland representatives Jade Noble and Rose Lio; QPNG Gold Netball Club netball club representatives Ann Marie and Christina Carswell; Queensland Samoa Netball Inc. representative Vania Gentle; Solomon Islands Brisbane Community Netball representative Atheca Kraus; and Queensland Tonga Netball Inc. representatives Joyce Cosgrove, Ponga and Sina. I think I've covered everyone.

I thank everyone involved in this tournament. My apologies if I didn't get the pronunciation right. I will make sure it's in Hansard. Congratulations, one and all, for what was a wonderful event.