Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A few weeks ago I was very pleased to meet up with George Tonna and Bill Bussell from the New South Wales Physical Disability Rugby League Association. Both have cerebral palsy and both are Indigenous. Bill is quite severely affected, George is moderately affected.

The New South Wales Physical Disability Rugby League was started in 2010 to enable people with a physical disability to have the opportunity to compete in a modified form of the great game that is rugby league. The tournament puts together teams from all over Sydney in the north, south, east and west. Any adult or child with a disability can participate in the program and it can be modified to their needs. Team sport is one of the best ways to keep mentally and physically healthy while having fun at the same time and engaging with the community.

Bill and George are heading over to New Zealand to represent the New South Wales Physical Disability Rugby League Association when it plays against the Physical Disability Rugby League of New Zealand. I am sure it will be a great competition. I wish them all the best and I hope to see more and more sporting competitions in which everybody can participate. I admire them. I admire their courage, their resilience and their tremendous community spirit in engaging with the sport of rugby league and helping others to compete.