Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to rise on this motion. It's bipartisan, but I do have to disagree with my good friend the member for Paterson—whenever I've played golf, it definitely drove my blood pressure up, but that was more owing to a lack of ability than the game of golf. It is a great game and it's a big part of many communities. In my electorate of Casey, golf plays an important role in a social element but also an economic element, driving golf tourism. We're fortunate to have the Heritage golf course, the RACV club in Healesville, Gardiners Run, Yering Meadows and the Eastern Golf Club all located very close together, and it's been wonderful to work with them on some tourism opportunities in our community. We had the shadow minister for trade and tourism, Kevin Hogan, out. We also met with Yarra Valley tourism to look at what we could do to support those clubs to bring more people to the area to experience the wonderful golf courses of Casey and the Yarra Valley.

But, unfortunately, last month we had some bad news at the Eastern Golf Club when it was destroyed by fire. It was burnt to the ground—the pro shop, the lounge, the restaurants. It's a relatively new club, about 10 to 12 years old. It's a beautiful facility, and I've been lucky enough to attend and spend time there with Ben Telley, the general manager. But it burnt down. I want to send my thanks to all the local CFA crews that attended, particularly the Coldstream CFA, who were the first attenders, as well as Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria. I spoke to Ben Telley on the day of the incident, and luckily no lives were lost and no-one was injured, but it was pretty devastating. I know they're back on their feet, and other clubs, like Gardiners Run, which I'll talk about in a moment, are supporting them, and we're rallying around them. Luckily it's summer, so the tennis court has been repurposed into a facility. As club chairman Fred Jones said:

As a Club with a history that extends back a 100+ years, the loss of our clubhouse is devastating, but it is the loss of irreplaceable trophies, photographs, artworks and memorabilia that hurts most deeply.

I want to sent my support to everyone at the Eastern Golf Club. Keep up the good work, and we'll keep backing you as you continue to rebuild.

I mentioned Gardiners Run. I was lucky enough to attend their 49-year anniversary dinner just a week and a half ago. It's a wonderful golf club run by the Chirnside Park Country Club, and it would be remiss of me not to mention the indominable Barb Kelly, who runs that club and does an amazing job in supporting not only golf but also the wider community. At the 49th anniversary dinner, we had the pleasure to celebrate Bert and Joyce Patrick's 67th wedding anniversary, which was on the day, but they love the club that much. They were founding members; Bert was instrumental in getting the club established 49 years ago. It was wonderful to chat to Bert, catch up with him and hear about how the club was started 49 years ago and about some of the challenges they've had over the journey.

A club like Gardiners Run is so important for our community because, while it's a golf club, it also has many other sports. I want to talk quickly about the bowls club that is connected to the golf club and particularly the event I went to on Monday, just before the cup, the Bowls Gr8 for Brains fundraiser, which clubs from all around the area came to support. I was fortunate to open it and I met with Darryl, who I've met a couple of times now. Bowls Gr8 for Brains do work supporting first responders and veterans that are struggling with post traumatic stress disorder. It's a wonderful organisation and it's an example of how golf clubs and community clubs are bigger than just sport and do more for the community. I also met Shane, Cam, Tony and Mark from Bowl For Your Lives, and it was great to hear their story and the work they're doing using bowls to support first responders. It's another example, as I said, of what the community can do.

Given it was a charity day, there was an auction. There did happen to be a Collingwood 2023 premiership poster, and I know the member for Solomon will be happy about that. I did buy it—he'll be happy to know—because it was my obligation and duty to support that charity. My wife understood, which is the only time I can buy memorabilia! On a serious note, it is a great example. Congratulations to Barb Kelly at Gardiners Run and Bowls Gr8 for Brains for the work they do supporting our community, our first responders and our veterans.

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