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

I rise today to acknowledge the latest recipients of the Solomon local sporting grants. We were very fortunate to have an additional round of funds made available to us, which means that we were able to allocate 10 more individual grants and one team grant for this very popular program in my electorate. Freya Stephenson and Andrea Jong both went to the Australian under-13 national hockey championships in Perth. Jerem Gesch, Thomas Callaghan and Joseph Baronio went to the Australian under-15 boys national hockey championship in Adelaide. Joel Curby went to the Australian under-13 national hockey championships in Nowra in New South Wales. Daniel Maher went to Victoria, representing the Northern Territory in the under-12 school sports competition. Chelsea Hambour went to Adelaide for the Australian basketball championships, Michael Shepherd went to Sydney for the national junior tennis championships, and Kierean Tamaotai went to Coffs Harbour for the national soccer youth championships. All of these outstanding athletes will receive $500 to go towards their travel expenses. As those competitions have already occurred, that money will be reimbursed to their families.

The Darwin junior tennis team will be competing at the NT Open Championships. The team will receive $3,000 to assist with travel and other costs associated with getting them to Alice Springs for the Northern Territory open in July. I would like to wish Jeremy Bintzs, Henry Liu, Jonathan Tong and Ben Long all the very best for this competition. During this competition the Northern Territory representatives will be selected to compete at the Australian championships.

I would like to take what little time I have left to talk about a constituent of mine, Grant Tambling, who spent many years in this place and the other place. It is his 70th birthday today. On behalf of all of us here—I am sure this will have bipartisan support—I wish him a very happy 70th birthday. His time here has not been forgotten. A card has been signed by the people in this place. We wish him all the very best for his 70th birthday and hope he has many more birthdays in the future. I will be presenting him with his card tomorrow at a function, where he will be celebrating with his family and friends. Happy birthday, Grant.

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