Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, a netball romance. In fact, we have been married 20 years next month, so netball has been of great service to my family that is for sure! Netball has come a long way since the dusty courts of St George and is now the territory of elite athletes like Laura Geitz, that girl from Allora who is leading the Diamonds and the Firebirds and who trains 20 hours a week and delivers body-crushing hits in a non-contact sport out on the netball court. The athletes like Laura are stronger, faster, fitter and, obviously, a hell of a lot taller than my sisters.

Netball Queensland, which is based in Moorooka where I live, tells me that there are around 52,000 participants in Queensland alone, and that number is growing. Around 300,000 people are involved in putting those netballers out on the court—the volunteers, officials, administrators, fans, parents and that growing Queensland Firebirds membership. Netball is a significant vehicle for the engagement of women and girls—as touched on by the member for Lalor in her speech—in sport as well as social, health, economic and workforce agendas. I would like to particularly acknowledge Bill Shorten, the opposition leader, and his great contribution to that when he was with the Australian Workers' Union. In this way, netball offers outstanding benefits for engagement, delivery and celebration around women's issues and achievements.

This year has been a great success on and off the court for netball in Queensland. The Queensland Firebirds became the most successful team in ANZ Championship history. They won the 2015 ANZ Championship grand final with that incredible comeback against the New South Wales Swifts. The Queensland under 17 state team were crowned national champions following an undefeated run through the tournament, and the Queensland under 21 state team claimed bronze at the national championships. I am sure they will improve on that in years to come.

I am proud to have the mighty Firebirds based in my electorate of Moreton. The ANZ Championship has done much for women and netball in both Australia and New Zealand. I should also acknowledge the Commonwealth Bank for the great work that they did in the years before that. Now with netball as a semi-professional sport in both countries, with increased television coverage and increased rates of pay for these very professional players, athletes at this level must commit to a high performance training and competition program, despite studying full time or working part time and in some cases also raising families. Netball is a semi-professional sport now, with a salary cap that is just a fraction of what is available in the male sporting codes. I would like to see that changed. I know Netball Queensland is a determined advocate of securing elite female athletes the same opportunities as their male counterparts to pursue a professional sporting career.

I am proud to say that the Queensland Labor government, under Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk—not a bad netballer herself in her time—has announced a new $30 million 'home of netball' in Moreton. This centre, to be made up of eight indoor courts, will be created at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, or the old QE2, at Nathan and it will do well. It will become the Firebird's first permanent training base. Up until now they have relied on using the facilities of schools around Brisbane. What an extraordinary position for such an elite state sports team, to have to go from school to school begging for training grounds. So, thank you to Annastacia Palaszczuk for getting this state-of-the-art facility. The centre will also be used for junior player training and for Queensland and Australian netball carnivals, because Queensland, a very decentralised state, will be reaching out to people from Torres Strait right down to Coolangatta, Carnarvon, Cunnamulla and everything in between. Well done Annastacia Palaszczuk, and go the Australian Diamonds.

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