David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge and congratulate Mrs Barbara Lodding, a constituent of Bean, for her outstanding commitment, in a voluntary capacity, as manager of the University of Canberra Capitals women's basketball team. The University of Canberra Capitals is one of the first Australian teams, with a longstanding commitment to inclusiveness and equality, and Mrs Lodding has been involved in the sport of basketball locally for over 50 years, as both a player and an administrator. She's been manager of the University of Canberra Capitals since 1993.

The Capitals returned to the iconic AIS Arena, also known as the Palace, this week, for the first home game of the 2024-25 WNBL season. This follows a $15 million upgrade to the arena, achieved in partnership with the ACT Labor government. The upgrade effectively doubles crowd capacity, not only allowing more fans to witness the excitement of live basketball but also allowing for the growth being witnessed across women's sport. Congratulations to the Capitals on 40 amazing years and to Mrs Lodding for her outstanding service to the Capitals and to basketball locally.

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