Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 1 April I will conduct my eighth annual mixed basketball competition for year 6 students, known as the Luke Simpkins Basketball Competition. I think it is important to acknowledge that I have received some great support over eight years from a lot of local primary schools in Cowan. I would like to welcome back in 2015 Banksia Grove Catholic Primary School; Mary MacKillop Catholic Community Primary School; East Wanneroo Primary School; and Alinjarra Primary School, who are also the defending champions from 2014 in the cup competition. Ashdale Primary School is back and South Ballajura Primary School is back. I would also welcome a primary school which is new to the competition, Marangaroo Primary School. Koondoola Primary School is also new to the competition. Hudson Park Primary School is back. Halidon Primary School is another school new to the competition. Hocking Primary School and St Anthony's Catholic primary school of Wanneroo are also involved.

It is going to be a great turnout this year. I have always thought well of the way in which these young people conduct themselves. I know they are only year 6s, but the spirit of sportsmanship and the determination that they demonstrate in the competition is just outstanding. It is very encouraging for me to see such good young people coming up through the school systems. One of the things that I tried to achieve when I first started this was to make sure that we had schools from the state sector, the independent sector and the Catholic sector, and that has been achieved pretty much every year. These schools are not normally the schools that would oppose each other or challenge each other. The electorate is only 180 square kilometres, but these schools do not normally come together for a sporting competition.

I would also like to thank Kingsway Christian College for their support as umpires this year, and, in particular, Stefan Rudzitis, Isaac Moore, Yoel Tanoto, Caleb Stevens, Jonny Stevens, Thomas Camer-Pesci, Akim Lual and Francina Muparutsa. They are the umpires for the competition and I greatly appreciate their support; otherwise, it would be very difficult to run the competition. It is a good competition and it is a lot of fun. I always express my sorrow to the students that I take them out of school for the day, but they always seem to appreciate it anyway!

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193 the time for constituency statements has concluded.