Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to support the motion that has been put forward by the member for Forde in support of golf. It's so interesting, and the member for Lyne is correct when he says that golf is often portrayed as a game for elites. I have to tell you that when my mum was pregnant with me in 1970 and playing golf, she and my father were not elites at Kurri Kurri Golf Club.

In fact, the story of their love affair with golf and that course is something that is very close to my heart. And when you think about it, it's a little patch of dirt where the community came together. They started off building a golf course and they got to nine holes, and then they got to 13 holes, and then they got to 15 holes, and finally we got our 18 holes. Our little course, Kurri Kurri—which is, funnily enough, located in Heddon Greta—became an 18-hole course. That was a real community journey, and that's what it's like for many country golf courses. The courses that may have members that are a little more well-heeled are still great places for community. That's what golf does—it brings people together. It doesn't matter where you go across the world, you can have a game of golf with someone you have never met before and you know what to do. You don't have to be a particularly good player, but you can go and have a game. You can look into someone's personality and character.

Golf is one of those things. Often, you hear that kids don't get taught manners these days—well, I tell you what, if you get your kid playing golf, not only have they got the prospect of potentially becoming a pro and maybe earning a lot of money, but here's what your child will learn: they will learn to wait their turn; they will learn to be quiet and respectful when someone else is having their turn; they will learn that they should not walk across the line of another player; they will learn that they have to dress appropriately and suitably to go and play a sport; and they will learn that you shouldn't wear a hat inside or you will have to shout the bar. These are just some of the rules you learn very quickly in golf. It is a game of etiquette and manners. It is a game of strategy. It is a game for life. Whether you're seven or 107, you can still get out on the golf course, and many people do.

Golf not only employs around 28,000 people here in Australia but it also gives many thousands more the opportunity to have recreation. It is one of those things that is also very inspiring. My whole family have played golf since mum and dad joined Kurri Kurri Golf Club. In fact, our house was from here to the Deputy Speaker away from the 12th green, so I pretty much grew up on a golf course. I spent my childhood playing, and it is such an important part of who I am today. I encourage anyone, if they are thinking about having a game of golf, to go and do it. These days, you can play putt-putt golf or you can go to a driving range, and you'll still be considered a golfer. You can start anywhere and you can start with a set of sticks off Gumtree—it doesn't need to cost you the world. What it will do is help you live five years longer, it will bring your blood pressure down—even if you're not playing that well—it'll create a whole network of people and an opportunity to make friends, potentially at a time in your adult life when you may never have thought you would be able to do that.

We hear there is a crisis of loneliness across our country, and I would say to anyone, if you are feeling lonely, check out some of your local golf courses—go and get a lesson off one of your local pros. They will help you become a better person. It is great for mental health, and I just want to give a shout out not only to my beautiful home clubs of Kurri Kurri and Newcastle—which is one of the great courses in Australia—but also to Maitland, Horizons, Nelson Bay—I can't wait to play in the Angel Billy in a couple of weeks time—and the mighty Beresfield, a public course that a lot of people still play on. I congratulate all of those people who work so hard and do such a good job of promoting the game. I also congratulate PGA Golf Australia and the WPGA, where we're seeing women and men compete together in tournaments for the first time. Whether it is from the bare beginning of going to Holey Moley, or whether you are out there on the circuit as a professional golfer, golf is the broadest church in Australia in terms of sport, and I would encourage you to worship at every possible opportunity. Long live our golf.

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