Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek on indulgence to make some remarks about sporting matters and, in particular, the Melbourne Cup. It has always been the race that stops the nation. It is nearly as old as the city after which it is named; but, at the last cup running, in three minutes and 23 seconds, Michelle Payne rewrote the history of that race. This was a first, for a woman to ride a winner in the Melbourne Cup. It happened despite all the hardship and adversity Michelle has faced in her life. It happened despite the doubters and the cynics who said this was no place for a woman. It happened because of her tenacity, courage and skill in riding Prince of Penzance to the winning post, ahead of the world's best stayers and jockeys. It took 105 runnings of the Melbourne Cup for a woman jockey to make it to the winner's circle, and it is a reminder, I suppose, of how this sport has been dominated by men.

Michelle did not just win a race; she smashed through one of the most stubborn of glass ceilings. For that, she, and all Australians, should be extremely proud. It was a remarkable ride. Her life is one of overcoming adversity. She lost her mum, Mary, to a car accident in Ballarat when she was only six months old and the youngest of 10. Her father, Paddy, and her older sister, Bridget—although only 16 herself—cared for her as a baby. Bridget, too, would lose her life far too young, after being thrown from a horse. Through all this, this family held together, and Michelle held her nerve. I am told she offered a quiet prayer for her mum and her big sister as she waited at the barrier gate for the start of the cup. How proud they would have been.

Let us consider, applaud and admire the most famous strapper in Australia: her brother, Stevie. What an extraordinary role model for people working with a disability! He was the strapper for Prince of Penzance and he drew the No. 1 barrier for Michelle in the barrier draw. I do not know that the Melbourne Cup has often been the subject of statements by the Prime Minister, but that was a remarkable race and a remarkable day. They are a remarkable family, and it is a reminder of what a great country we are.

I should now note the wonderful campaign by the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup. They got all the way to the final. They were the underdogs. It was a great campaign; Michael Cheika, the coach, and Stephen Moore, the captain, did an outstanding job. They were beaten, of course, in the final by the All Blacks, who everyone expected to win. It was a fantastic game. At half-time, Australia was behind, and I think half of the nation rolled over and went back to sleep. The other half stayed awake and woke the sleeping half up in the second half, when we were coming back to win. Nonetheless, as a result, it was a great campaign. Congratulations to the Wallabies and congratulations to the All Blacks. In 10 years time, if you call out 'Richie' in a New Zealand playground, all the boys will run towards you.

I have to explain my tie. I had a bet with the Prime Minister of New Zealand that, if the Wallabies won, he would wear our tie and, if the All Blacks won, I would wear his. I am happy to honour this bet. I have offered him a bet on the cricket, but he does not think the odds are good enough on that.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

An honourable member asked me about further bets. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, who is a great role model for all of us, says he does look good in gold and he is looking forward to further bets. As for this tie from New Zealand, as football ties go, it is not too bad—apart from its unfortunate circumstances. The minister for agriculture has checked it out from a biosecurity point of view and he ensures me there are no apple stains on it. However, we have detected a bit of Lemon & Paeroa and Steinlager, which just goes to show you have to be careful when you are getting the beer out of the chillybin.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to congratulate one of my constituents the remarkable Michelle Payne on her history-making achievement. Racing is glamorous, it is exciting and it is hard work, but racing is also inherently dangerous. Sadly, the last six jockeys and track-work riders to die in Australia have all been women. Michelle Payne knows these risks as well as anyone. In 2004, she fell from her horse, fracturing her skull and bruising her brain, and even those closest to her urged her to give up racing. Eight years later, at a Sunday race meeting at Donald, she was thrown over the head of her ride, breaking her ribs and fracturing four vertebrae. Again, she was told it might be time for her to walk away. But last Tuesday, in front of more than 100,000 cheering fans and watched by millions around the world, Michelle piloted Prince of Penzance to claim the 155th Melbourne Cup by half a length. She had started that day from barrier 1, which was a spot drawn for her by her loving brother and devoted strapper, Stevie. It was impossible not to be moved by the pride on Stevie's face—a man who has never been defined by his impairment—leading a Melbourne Cup champion into the winner's circle. And, in a wonderful post-race interview that only an Australian could have given, Michelle said to a watching world, 'Anyone who thinks that women aren't good enough for group 1 racing can get stuffed.' Hear, hear!

Michelle Payne's victory brought joy to an entire nation. It caps a wonderful year for women's sport—the brilliance of the Diamonds in the world cup and the Southern Stars reclaiming the ashes—inspiration and examples for girls and women everywhere. And it was a message for the so-called experts who wrote in 2012—a year defined by the Olympic heroics of Sally Pearson, Alicia Coutts and Anna Meares amongst others—that Black Caviar was Australia's best female athlete. Of course, we should not forget Prince of Penzance himself, the first horse to salute at 100 to one since Old Rowley in 1940. We should also congratulate his trainer, Darren Weir, a former farrier from Berriwillock, a small town in the Mallee.

Normally when a long-odds runner wins the cup, it is considered a day for the bookmakers and tough beat for the punters. On a small note, I backed Criterion, which ran an unlucky third. But for all of us who listened to Michelle and Stevie Payne speak after the race, all of us who saw the joy and delight on the faces of trainers and connections, we instantly forgot who we had backed or the money that we had lost. On Melbourne Cup day our nation stopped for more than the race. We stopped to celebrate the journey of two children growing up with eight brothers and sisters and without their mum, looking out for one another in tough times, encouraging each other to beat the odds, sharing a dream of sporting immortality. Last Tuesday. we were witness to a genuine sporting fairytale and every Australian was richer because of it. Michelle Payne is a fantastic ambassador for women, for racing and for Australia. She is a gem.

A small note on the Wallabies, in response to the Prime Minister's comments: it was an incredible campaign. To the audience who stayed up and watched the game, it was a great campaign; it was a tough match against the All Blacks. We congratulate the captain, Stephen Moore, we congratulate the coach, Michael Cheika, and we look forward to renewed success from them in the future.