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

I rise this afternoon to bring to the attention of the Committee a fantastic event which was recently held in my electorate of Adelaide—that being the 2007 Australian multidisability lawn bowls championships. I had the good fortune to attend their presentation dinner.

Lawn bowls is on the cutting edge of implementing programs to ensure the inclusion of all people in the sport. Clearview Bowling Club, where this championship was held, in my electorate, has particularly taken an interest in a number of important measures to ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy their sport just as much as any other bowler at the club. Events like the 2007 Multidisability Championships, as well as the International Bowls for the Disabled, are what makes lawn bowls what it is today, which is a challenging, exciting and, importantly, inclusive game. It encourages people of all abilities to play to their best enjoyment and skill.

I have to add that the national lawn bowls coach, Jan Palazzi, took the opportunity to attend the multidisability lawn bowls championships and commented on the amazing standard of bowls which was on display. So anyone who thinks that these bowlers are in any way unable to compete with anybody else on the bowls field would be very surprised when they see them at work. It was a fantastic event. Players attended from South Australia, of course—and they did an exceptional job, I might add—as well as from Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. For the first time ever, Tasmania sent one lone bowler to compete.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about WA?

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

WA apparently was not up to the challenge. I can only guess. But they would be more than welcome to come down to the Clearview Bowling Club another time and see the fantastic facilities they have there. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the CEO of the Clearview Bowling Club, Mr Ian Bailey, for the amazing work that he continues to do. I am currently working with Mr Bailey and have approached both the state and federal governments to try and get some more funding so that we can put in place some measures to ensure that bowlers of all abilities are even more comfortable at the Clearview Bowling Club. I would also like to congratulate the organising committee of this fantastic event, which consisted of Sabrina Hannen, David Bailey, Jim Fawcett and Norma Brauer. The Clearview Bowling Club does an absolutely fantastic job for all members of our local community. It is an organisation which adds to the community-building capacity of the Clearview area. I commend them for all of their hard work. I pledge to continue working to try and get more grant money so that they can expand this program and offer even better services in the future.