Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of an extraordinary group of Australians. I speak of those outstanding individuals who recently competed in the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London. Their inspiring achievements cast them as role models for young Australians across the country. As an aside, I also wish to commend Lord Coe and his team for hosting one of the finest examples of the Olympic tradition since the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. In fact, a number of my friends who have attended both games were even prepared to accept that perhaps London surpassed the Sydney Olympics.

As the member for North Sydney, I would like to highlight the achievements of those athletes who have a link with my electorate. I am talking about athletes like 24-year-old Ed Fernon, who competed in the modern pentathlon, an event which requires mastery in no fewer than five different Olympic sports: swimming, running, show jumping, fencing and pistol shooting. This was Ed's first Olympics and I wish him a bright future in this incredibly challenging sport.

Another first time Olympian was 22-year-old Lucinda Whitty, who won a silver medal with her team in Elliott six-metre sailing. Lucinda had previously distinguished herself as the 2010 Australian Female Sailor of the Year. She cut her teeth at the Lane Cove Sailing Club. Another was basketballer Aleksandar Maric. Alek stands six foot 11 in the old money and weighs 125 kilos, in the new money. In London, Alek and his Boomers managed to defeat Great Britain, Russia and China—magnificent. John Steffensen, almost considered a veteran in his third Olympics, acquitted himself admirably in the four-by-400-metre relay, which rounded out a very good season for him—he won all three 400-metre individual races he participated in over the summer.

North Sydney was represented by three Olympic rowers. Francis Hegerty, in his second Olympics after winning a silver medal in Beijing in the men's coxless four, competed this year in the men's eight. Daniel Noonan competed in the men's quad scull and won bronze. Daniel has raced for Australia at four rowing world championships. The third rower is Amy Clay, who was competing in her second Olympics in the women's quad scull. Amy was named New South Wales Oarswoman of the Year in 2011.

Who could have not been inspired by the Paralympians? These athletes overcome their disabilities to excel in their sports. Evan O'Hanlon competes in T38 sprint events, and he has cerebral palsy. At his first Paralympic Games, in Beijing in 2008, he broke three world records. He won another two gold medals this year in the 100-metre and 200-metre sprint events. He was also a recipient of the North Sydney community award for excellence in sport in 2009.

Michelle Rzepecki, a 25-year-old, represented Australia in goalball. She is classed as a B3 competitor, which means she has partial vision. While she and her team were unsuccessful in their bid for gold, they did us proud. Matthew Levy, in his third Paralympic Games, won five swimming medals, including a gold. His achievements speak volumes about his character and ability.

I also wish to make a special acknowledgment of my good friend Kelly Cartwright, who won gold in the women's long jump and silver in the women's 100 metres. I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with Kelly in 2009. She is an amazingly determined young woman, hugely impressive in every way. When she was 15, she lost her leg to cancer. Unable to have chemotherapy, she had to have her leg amputated. She is an inspiration in every way.

All of these athletes are extraordinary Australians. They make me proud to be their local federal member and to speak in their honour tonight. They have made me and, I think, every other member of this House very proud of their achievements. Particularly those involved in the Paralympics are hugely admirable people who have overcome tremendous adversity already in their lives. They do not just inspire us as individuals; they inspire the community, our country and the world.