Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

KER () (): I'm excited because Bells Beach will once again host the World Surf League's Rip Curl Pro. Its natural amphitheatre and massive Easter swell makes the Rip Curl Pro one of the world's most iconic sporting events—and it's held right in the heart of my electorate of Corangamite on the Great Ocean Road. This year marks the event's 60th anniversary, with the world's best surfers battling it out for the ultimate prize—the Bells Beach trophy. But as veteran Kelly Slater and our own awesome Steph Gilmore know, you've got to win it to ring it!

This is the event that puts our region and our nation on the map. It attracts crowds of 50,000 and more than 10 million digital viewers across the globe. It's a huge economic boost for Torquay, Surf Coast, Bellarine and all of Victoria. The organisers have once again announced free entry to local residents and Surfing Victoria members, and they're putting support behind local vendors, food vendors and local jobs. I extend my congratulations to organisers, including Surfing Vic, the WSL and the Surf Coast Shire. It's also time to congratulate Ellie Harrison from Barwon Heads. She is an amazing local talent who has made it to the YF WSL Challenger Series. I have no doubt that one day we will be watching her at the Rip Curl Pro. So this Easter, come down to Bell's—it promises to be an awesome swell and a fierce battle to win it and ring it.

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