Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

On a Saturday earlier this month I was really privileged to join the team from Special Olympics Logan for their Come and Try Day at the Logan Metro Sports Centre, a fantastic purpose-built complex. It was a really important opportunity for some of the young people in our community to experience sports like indoor soccer and basketball in a friendly environment at a great facility. Judging by the smiles on everyone's faces, it was a roaring success. I want to thank and acknowledge Suzy, Gary, David and all of organisers and coaches for inviting me along and for the opportunity to meet some of the parents of some great young athletes and participants.

I also want to thank the sponsors for the prizes I was able to present along with Linus Power, the state Labor candidate for Logan. It is not every day in this job that you get to throw the sneakers on and kick the ball around or shoot some hoops, so I want to thank some of the young sportspeople, including Tim, Andrew and James, for spending some time with us and for showing us how it is done from the free-throw line in particular.

The Special Olympics movement adds a great deal to my community and to communities around the country. I formally mark their contribution by rising in this place and by paying tribute to their important work. Australians love their sport and the more people who can experience it for themselves the better.

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