Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge tonight one of Australia's greatest sportswomen, Michelle Timms, who just recently was inducted as the first legend in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame and, indeed, prior to that was named in the international federation hall of fame, only the second Australian to be named after the male player Andrew Gaze. Michelle started with the Bulleen Boomers in my electorate in 1984 and completed her career as a player with the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2001. She subsequently became a coach, most recently the assistant coach of the Chinese national team. She made 264 appearances for the Australian national team. She participated in four world championships and three Olympic Games, winning a silver medal and a bronze medal. She has just returned to Bulleen, where, indeed, her daughter is now playing basketball and hoping to emulate her mother.

Known as 'Timmsy', Michelle, at just five feet four inches tall, was one of the grittiest players in world basketball. The point guard player pioneered the involvement of Australians at a world level. With her familiar crop of short hair, she was one of the most feared competitors on the international scene. Let's pay tribute to Michelle Timms for her wonderful career.

House adjourned at 20:00

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