Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to take the opportunity to share with the House a remarkably exciting event which is currently taking place in my electorate of Adelaide, that being the 2007 World Police and Fire Games. It began on 16 March and will last through until 25 March. I have been amazed by the excitement that has been generated by this event. This is only the second time that these games have been staged in Australia. The World Police and Fire Games were previously held in Melbourne back in 1995.

To give you some idea of the size of this event, in Adelaide this week we have some 8,000 competitors and some 4,000 visitors from almost 60 countries around the world. I would like to give particular credit to the thousands of South Australians who have put their names forward to be volunteers. We have a proud tradition of volunteers. They are the backbone of our community. This has once again been shown with the 2007 World Police and Fire Games, where some 2,300 volunteers are helping to make the games an absolute success.

I would also like to give credit to some of the organisers. Whilst I do not have time here today to go through all of the people who have played a role, I would like to congratulate the chairperson of the 2007 World Police and Fire Games Board, Mr Bill Spurr, from the South Australian Tourism Commission. I would also like to give credit to the South Australian police commissioner, Mal Hyde, as well as the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service chief fire officer, Grant Lupton.

There is a huge amount of excitement in Adelaide. Everybody is being a part of it. The 79 sporting events are all free for the public. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the organisers, to give credit to the thousands of volunteers and also to welcome all of the overseas visitors to the city of Adelaide. We trust that you will have a fantastic time. And, of course, I also wish the Australian competitors the very best of luck.