Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have great pleasure in informing the House today that the recent Suncorp Bank Family Friendly Index findings place Launceston, in the electorate of Bass, as the most family-friendly place in Australia to live.

I am not surprised that Launceston has been picked as the country's best place to raise a family. It is something that people like me, who have lived there most of our lives, have known for decades. It is fantastic that the people in our schools, hospitals, police and emergency services can be recognised in this way and I would like to congratulate them for their hard work. Our volunteers are the heart of our community and we see them every day delivering meals to the elderly, helping out with sporting clubs and sporting events, and working in our hospitals. We know that this is a wonderful place for families to enjoy. You can enjoy the famous museum, the QVMAG; the Cataract Gorge; and no other city in Australia has such a wonderful family-friendly recreational facilities within the heart of the city as Launceston does. Launceston has great weather which is conducive to recreation, sport and our fantastic lifestyle. There are two types of people in Australia—those who live in Launceston and those who wish they did.

See this speech in context