Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On a recent cold and rainy Friday night, I braved the elements to attend the Ellenbrook Dockers Junior Football Club's first ever multicultural round in Western Australia, and I'm so glad that I did. It was a joyous and exciting occasion, with dynamic participation on and off the field. The team jerseys for the occasion were designed by Shaun Hughes and were an avowed celebration of the local multicultural community with the motto 'One Club—One Family' written in no less than 19 languages to represent the community languages spoken in Ellenbrook. The newly designed jerseys were worn by the years 7 and 8 girls and year 10 boys teams. Congratulations to all the players for their fair play, integrity and spirit.

Apart from the football, there was a sharing of traditional music, dance performance, plenty of selfies, speeches and interviews, including one that I did with Makur Aciek, who shared his story about how the club was breaking down cultural barriers not just on the field but also within the wider community. I also met the inspirational player Evia Aringo, who is also a member of the Ellenbrook multicultural community group and a finalist for the 2023 WA African Community Awards for emerging young leaders and is running for local government. It's fantastic to see young people standing up to represent their communities.

The Ellenbrook Dockers aren't just creating great football players; they are creating a greater sense of community and great community leaders of tomorrow. So congratulations to all involved, especially the club president, Jack Versaci, for such a successful event.

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