Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise also to pay tribute to the 410 talented and committed members of the Australian 2012 London Olympics team. I would also like to thank the families, the coaches, the volunteers and the team staff for their commitment and support of our outstanding Olympians. The calibre of our Australian Olympic athletes, coupled with their attitude and excellent sportsmanship, makes me proud to be Australian. The Northern Territory—which I talk about quite often in here; in fact, every time I speak I talk about the Northern Territory—has an excellent track record when it comes to sporting ability and we have a solid history of producing Olympic athletes. I would like to share some of the previous Olympic talent that we have had from the Northern Territory.

Our very first Olympian was the late Michael Ah Matt, who was selected to play basketball for Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and, again, in Mexico in 1968. Michael was the first Indigenous person to represent Australia and was deservedly inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010—

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As I was saying, Darwin born softball catcher Kerry Dienelt trained at the Northern Territory Institute of Sport before she went on to captain the Australian women's softball team, which claimed bronze at both the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics. Then there was Darwin born Frank Farina, who was selected to play soccer for Australia at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Then we have Darwin born and Northern Territory Institute of Sport trained swimmer Ian Vander-Wal, who was selected as part of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games team.

Silver and bronze medallist swimmer Geoff Huegill was born in Nhulunbuy and has represented Australia at two Olympics Games. Darwin born and dual gold medallist cyclist Graeme Brown also represented Australia and the Northern Territory at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Shot-putter Justin Anlezark, who was born in Katherine, was selected for the Australian Olympic team in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

At Sydney's 2000 Olympics, the Northern Territory was extremely proud to have three representatives selected for the Australian Olympic team in the men's boxing: Darwin born Paul Miller, Alice Springs born James Swan and Northern Territory Institute of Sport trained Henry Collins. Pistol shooter Christine Trefry trained at the Northern Territory Institute of Sport before she also went on to represent Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Further to the previous athletes I mentioned that have represented not only the Northern Territory but Australia at Olympic level, there is no doubt that in the Northern Territory the most successful sport of all at the Olympic level is hockey. Australia has been represented in hockey by numerous Northern Territory athletes, including: Stephen Holt, who won bronze in the Sydney 2000 Olympics; Mark Hickman, who won gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004; Des Abbott, who won bronze in the Beijing 2008 Olympics; and of course no-one can forget Nova Peris, who was the first Aboriginal Australian and Northern Territory athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. Nova did this at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and then, amazingly, in 1997 she changed to athletics and went on to be one of only a handful of Australian athletes to compete in two different sports at the Olympic level, making it into the 400-metre semi-final at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

As you can see, the Northern Territory has a strong history of elite sporting talent, a solid legacy for our future athletes to follow. Our involvement in the 2012 London Olympics was quite modest. All Northern Territory residents were delighted that we were to have cousins Des Abbott and Joel Carroll selected to represent Australia in the men's hockey team. Unfortunately, Des was ruled out of the squad before the Games due to a knee injury. Joel, however, went on to win bronze when the Kookaburras downed Great Britain 3-1 in the bronze medal play-off. The pair now have matching bronze medals.

The Northern Territory would also like to claim success in the pool with Katherine-born swimmer Leisel Jones, who has become a well-known Olympic icon. London was Leisel's fourth Olympic Games, having previously competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Games. Leisel has made the Northern Territory, Australia and me personally proud, being rewarded for her dedication and winning three gold medals during her career as well as a silver medal in the recent London Olympics.

2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, like Leisel Jones, was born in Katherine. The London Olympics was the fourth time he had been selected to represent Australia. First selected in 1996 and 2000 to represent Australia in the men's mountain bike cross-country, Cadel moved to the men's road racing and was chosen to represent Australia in 2008 and 2012. Unfortunately, Cadel had to withdraw from the men's time trial only days before the competition due to illness, but there is no doubt of the athlete's elite level of performance and achievements so far.

It is not only our Northern Territory athletes that I wish to congratulate today. I am in awe of our entire Australian Olympic team and would like to thank each and every one of them and their families for their dedication and determination, and for the sacrifices they have made during their sporting careers. No-one can deny it is an amazing achievement and an absolute honour to represent your country. Everyone acknowledges that it is not all about the medals; and while it may be disappointing for the members themselves that many of our talented team did not win a medal, they must know that all Australians are extremely proud of each and every one of our Olympic athletes and that we are grateful for the way that they proudly represented their country.

I would like to acknowledge our medal winning Olympians. Gold medals were won by Sally Pearson, women's 100-metre hurdles; Jacob Clear, Tate Smith, David Smith and Murray Stewart; Anne Meares; Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page; Iain Jensen and Nathan Outteridge; Thomas Slingsby; and Cate Campbell, Alicia Coutts, Brittany Elmsie and Melanie Schlanger.

Silver medals went to Jared Tallent; Mitchell Watt; Jessica Fox; Samuel Willoughby; Jack Bobridge; Rohan Dennis; Michael Hepburn and Glenn O'Shea;    Brittany Broben; rowing four, James Chapman, Joshua Dunkley-Smith, Drew Ginn and William Lockwood; Kimberly Crow and Brooke Pratley; Kate Hornsey and Sarah Tait; Nina Curtis, Olivia Price and Lucinda Whitty; James Magnussen, Christian Sprenger, Emily Seebohm; Alicia Coutts; the women's 200m individual medley team of Leisel Jones, Alicia Coutts, Melanie Schlanger and Emily Seebohm; and the women's four by 200-metre freestyle relay team, Bronte Barratt, Alicia Coutts, Kylie Palmer and Melanie Schlanger.

Bronze medals were won by the Opals, the Australian women's basketball team, consisting of Suzy Batkovic, Abby Bishop, Elizabeth Cambage, Laura Hodges, Lauren Jackson, Rachel Jarry, Kathleen Macleod, Jenna O'Hea, Sam Richards, Jennifer Screen, Belinda Snell and Kristi Willoughby; by Shane Perkins, Annette Edmondson, Kaarle McCulloch and Anna Meares; the Kookaburras, the men's hockey team, made up of Nathan Burgers, Matthew Butturini, Joel Carroll, Christopher Cirello, Liam De Young, Timothy Deavin, Jamie Dwyer, Russell Ford, Matt Gohdes, Kieran Govers, Fergus Kavanagh, Mark Knowles, Edward Ockenden, Simon Orchard, Matthew Swan and Glenn Turner; the men's rowing quad sculls, Karsten Fosterling, James McRae, Christopher Morgan and Daniel Noonan; the men's four by 100-metre medley relay, Christian Sprenger, Hayden Stoeckel, Matthew Targett and James Magnussen; Alicia Coutts, Bronte Barratt and Erin Densham; and the women's water polo team, Gemma Beadsworth, Victoria Brown, Kate Gynther, Bronwen Knox, Holly Lincoln-Smith, Alicia McCormack, Jane Moran, Glencora Ralph, Melissa Rippon, Sophie Smith, Ashleigh Southern, Rowena Webster and Nicola Zagame.

Well done to all of these people, and congratulations to you all on your outstanding achievement. I think it is important that you all know that we as Australians are very proud of you as members of the Australian Olympic team. On behalf of my electorate of Solomon, thank you for your hard work and dedication. We respect you all and, whether you won a medal or not, you will be known as Olympians for life. Well done. We are proud of you.

Debate adjourned.

Federation chamber adjourned at 13:01

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