David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Some weeks there are events that make you proud to be an Australian and proud to be part of a strong community. There was an event last week at the Port Macquarie Swimming Club in the Lyne electorate that was an explosion of goodwill. The swimming club has been a great institution, producing many great swimmers over many years and forming strong young athletes over the decades, including world champions. Last week the Port Macquarie Swimming Club showed their community spirit by getting behind Tom Berryman in his fight against a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Port Macquarie Swimming Club put together a fun night to raise funds to help support Tom and his family. The club raised over $5,000 through 'a swim for Tom'. In this 'swim for Tom', patrons paid to come and swim a few laps for Tom. Tom is a highly accomplished swimmer and a great example of the resilience of our young people in this country. Tom started swimming at the age of 15 as a way to help with his asthma, but within his first year of competitive swimming he had made the state team. The next year Tom went on to represent Port Macquarie Swimming Club at a national level and he was training up to 15 times a week—in the morning, at lunchtime and after school.

Tom noticed a pain in his arm in the lead-up to the national age championships but continued to train. Even with this unknown pain, he pulled off two silver medals, which was amazing. Soon after that, however, he had a large tumour removed from under his arm and has been undergoing chemotherapy. Tom is still training and hoping to have his fitness back up to that same level so that he can make the national championships in Adelaide this coming March. I offer my great congratulations and admiration to Tom, his family, the Port Macquarie Swimming Club and all the people who jumped in the pool to raise funds for him.

It is my unfortunate duty to also bring to the attention of the House the passing of one of our local community's true gems. The beautiful Pam Yates left this earth after 70 years. I had known Pam for four years. She was a gem of a lady, a wonderful wife, grandmother, mother and surrogate mother to so many other children who have passed through the Yates household, whether in the Newcastle district, Bathurst, Port Macquarie or Alstonville. She was a lovely lady and everyone in the community knew her. I offer my condolences. We would like to publicly support Bill, because he is a gem of a bloke too, and Todd, Adam, Kirk and Karen.