Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to report to the House three great events that happened in the Goldstein community in the past two weeks. We had the celebration of the Hampton United Cricket Club's 90th anniversary, with an extended tea break—which we all enjoyed—for their first 11 game. Club president David Pearce welcomed the guests for this celebration, and Russ Moore, the MC, gave a historical view of the club.

From its humble beginnings in 1926 with one senior team, known then as the Hampton Methodists Cricket Club, it won its first premiership in 1931-32. The club has grown over the years to its peak in the period of 1984 to 1988, when it fielded 10 teams, six senior and four junior, making it the biggest club—with Bentleigh Uniting—in the CMCA. Its most successful year on the field was 1996 to 1997, with all five senior teams making the finals and four teams winning through to the grand finals, producing a record-equalling three premierships in one season. But the strength of this club is its community spirit. That is what makes it strong, and that is what we celebrated on its 90th anniversary.

We also had on Australia Day at Middle Brighton Pier the Rotary Club of Brighton, which, for the eighth year, supported the Swimland Great Australia Day Swim. Over a thousand swimmers participated in open water events around the pier, breakwater and marina, which provides a spectacular vantage point for spectators. Live entertainment, good weather on the day and food stalls lining the concourse in front of the Middle Brighton Baths helped to create an exciting community atmosphere. It was new this year that swimmers could enter and compete in the 650-metre and 1,400-metre open events for both an individual and a team award at no additional entry fee.

Coming together for the Australia Day swim is now a must-attend event in Goldstein, and I look forward to attending next year. We really should congratulate the Rotary Club of Brighton's president, Dale Hoy, and his team. Dale Hoy and his team did a fantastic job of bringing people together, engaging with the community and providing a platform from which we can launch our values to the country.

Finally, continuing on the swimming theme, I want to acknowledge Dr Geoff Toogood and his swimming compatriots Mike Gregory, Paul Hoffman, Michelle Fullerton and Andrew Fidler, who, from 1 January of this year, have managed to swim 3,027 kilometres just off Brighton. They have done so to try to raise the profile of the 3,027 people who, tragically, committed suicide in 2015. Their task is to come together and raise the profile of this important issue, and their hope is—through their sacrifice and their energy—not just to raise the profile but to ensure that we work together as a community to make sure they swim less next year. Congratulations to Geoff and your team.