Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Obviously five minutes is not long enough to talk about surf-lifesaving in Australia, as each member has found out to their own detriment. I commend the member for Bass for this motion. I also recognise his own record in surf-lifesaving. Having absolutely none myself but being a swimmer of some note in my own mind, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the surf-lifesaving community in my electorate, which I pay very careful attention to.

Having some 300 kilometres of coastline in my electorate and four surf-lifesaving clubs patrolling those beaches, conservatively close to 100,000 people come to enjoy the activities that our coastline has to offer at Waratah, Venus Bay, Cape Paterson and Inverloch.

Waratah Beach Surf Life Saving Club situated at Sandy Point overlooks the beautiful Wilsons Promontory, the prominent piece of land on the south coast of Australia to Tasmania. I think the member for Bass is my neighbour across the water. Of course, it is the most southerly surf-lifesaving club on the Australian mainland.

Venus Bay faces directly onto Bass Strait. Standing on the beach at Venus Bay you can see for miles in either direction. There for as far as you can see are kilometres of rolling and roaring surf.

I try to attend the AGM of the Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club each year. This group of people show such great honesty, dedication and interest. They are a good group of people. I endeavour every year to go to their annual meeting. This club has served the people of South Gippsland for many years. As you stand on the cliff face and look down you see the waves break evenly between two rocky outcrops. That view is enhanced by the sight of hundreds of families with boogie boards, flippers, umbrellas and the whole lot.

The most exciting development along our coast, however, is the building of the clubhouse for the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club. Since its inception some years ago the club has operated out of three shipping containers situated in the car park at the surf beach. After years of fundraising under the presidency of Mr Philippe du Plessis construction on the new purpose-built facility is expected to be completed prior to the busy summer period.

This club has 150 volunteers who patrol the surf beach at Inverloch, where it is estimated some 45,000 visitors come to enjoy their summer holidays. Most exciting is that there are 140 young people aged between six and 13 who are taught water awareness and swimming and who will form the basis of the next generation of surf-lifesavers. It is an absolute delight to see these little nippers early on a summer’s morning on the beach, learning the skills they need to be in the club.

Mr du Plessis pointed out recently that the club has a volunteer group that performs many vital roles, including providing a safe beach environment and rescue services for the local community and visitors, as well as providing training and leadership skills for young people. I congratulate the club and its membership for the wonderful work they have done in providing this facility for the community. I would also like to extend my congratulations to the new president, Mr Alan Bolton, as he, along with other members of the executive Trevor Dando and Barry Hughes, take the club forward. Special wishes go to Nicholas Leman, the club captain, and instructors Chris and Angela Malan.

Australia is known worldwide and is the envy of the world for its image of sun and surf—which we all suffer from, as we have bits cut out of us when we get to this age. It is endowed with thousands of kilometres of coastline. The work that is done right across the country around our coastline is really important. In the building of the new surf-lifesaving club down at Inverloch the state government has put in some $500,000. I think it is important that we recognise that state governments have a role to play here. The local government has also put in money. As the previous speaker mentioned, the federal government put in money. That must have been because of something about the electorate, because that does not happen in every electorate. I am sure the electorate of Bass did not get that amount of money thrown in to build a facility. If there is a chance where the federal government can have an input through the political process then I am not going to knock that. But basically the responsibility goes back to the community that supports the surf-lifesaving club. I have always said to my lifesaving clubs, ‘If you are supported by Woolworths, Coles or Safeway then go back into Woolworths, Coles or Safeway and say, “I’m buying my stuff here because you support my lifesaving club.”‘ (Time expired)

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