Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The first thing I would like to do is identify with the remarks of the member for Newcastle in this House this evening and her clear passion and commitment to ending family violence in this country.

I have been apprised this week of some marvellous, sometimes entertaining and sometimes very moving first speeches—what we used to call the 'maiden address'. I would not dare set any one apart, but I do note the remarkable pain expressed here by Julian Leeser, the member for Berowra, and that he included us in part of his life's journey, a changing moment, obviously, for him. Also I note the member for Chisolm, Julia Banks, when she spoke today quite passionately about the little girl at school who was called a wog, and how she had to go home and grab her brother's dictionary and look up what 'wog' meant and then deal with the pain of seeing others seeing her as being different because of her darker skin and her dark hair, how she looked a little different and so was a point of attack.

Yet through all of this and through all of the maiden speeches I hear those who have survived their lives to be here and thrive and play a part in this place. I apologise to those members of parliament who gave their first speeches that I was not able to be here to hear every one, but I was watching you from my office. I took careful account, as best I possibly could, of those who presented their stories and their desires for their future endeavours in this House, as expressed in their first speeches, and I praise every one of them for what they have done.

But I want to refer to the speech by Damian Drum, the member for Murray, especially when he spoke about young people and sport and how important sporting infrastructure is right across our communities. This is a passion for me, because from Moe Newborough all the way to Pakenham and to the Bunyip soccer ground that is not there—there is a ground there, but it needs huge investment, huge infrastructure—all the way to Wonthaggi, these are $10 million exercises. They are not two-bob shows that need to be built. These are $10 million exercises, and that is only their first stages.

But the message that comes from the Wonthaggis, the Bunyips and especially from Moe Newborough and Pakenham is exactly the message that the member for Murray gave us last night, and that is that these community organisations grab hold of our young people and train them in their given sport, whatever that sport may be—he was perhaps referring especially to Australian rules football, but we could be talking soccer, the international football game; we could be talking baseball; we could be talking basketball; we could be talking all sorts of other indoor and outdoor sports. They come into a place where the children are mentored by their seniors.

I know from my own experience with my own children. There may have been a bit of grog around the place; there may have been. I am not denying that. But basically they got job opportunities through their parents and other contacts that they made—it is not what you know; it is who you know. They had the opportunities. I did not see any drugs around the place. I saw young kids entering into sport, and, because of their entering into sport, get other opportunities way outside that which was provided by the sport—and that is the point that Damian Drum, the member for Murray, was making last night.

It is great that he was here and putting that across, because I would like to see a sugar tax. In introducing that sugar tax we would take on childhood obesity. We really—

Dr Leigh interjecting—

No, I really think it is important. The money that would be raised would be put into those facilities right across this country on behalf of young people and the future of their health and wellbeing in this nation. I think we can do it. I think it is something we should be looking out. We do it with cigarettes now. We do it with other things. We do it with alcohol. Well, sugar is a major trauma for this country, and we need to address it very seriously, and I call on the government to inquire into the probability or possibility of a sugar tax in this country to benefit our generations.

House adjourned at 17:00

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