Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to voice my congratulations to Cadel Evans and to claim him as Townsville's own. Townsville is truly the home of great sport. We were the home of pre-Olympic training for the swimming teams of 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968. We claim as our own Dawn Fraser, John and Ilsa Konrads, Murray Rose—all the truly great Australian swimmers from our golden era—because they trained at Tobruk pool under the legendary coaching of 'Stumpy' Lawrence. Stumpy was the father of Laurie Lawrence—Wallaby, swimming coach and creator of Kids AliveDo the Five! He is a Townsville boy, Laurie Lawrence. He actually went to a dance with my mother-in-law when she was at St Pat's.

Cadel Evans rode in Townsville. That is why I am speaking about him today and why he is claimed as Townsville's own. To see this guy go round the strand, for someone who does not understand the sport, was nothing special. I was at the dinner where he donated his pushbike to be auctioned by local charities. They raised $15,000 for a pushbike! I thought to myself, 'My goodness, what is going on here?' But to have won the Tour de France after so much heartache and after so much pressure—what an effort. He is a truly great man. In a sport that has been tainted, that we have someone from Australia who can stand up and be better than everybody else in the world at that race is truly unbelievable. I do wish him all the best, I do congratulate him, I do add Townsville's voice to those congratulations. He can come back to the TP Human Capital triathlon and ride the cycle leg in my team next year or any year he chooses.

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