Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Commonwealth Games are coming to Queensland, to the Gold Coast in particular. They will be held from 4 to 15 April. Baton bearers, who'll carry the flame all the way to the Gold Coast, include locals from the fabulous city of Redlands, just above the Gold Coast: Adrian Rowe, a bricklayer who saved a woman's life with CPR in a Redlands bottle shop; Susie Fuhrmann, a netball veteran of two Commonwealth Games; and local rising tennis star Lara Walker—all carrying the baton towards the Gold Coast. The Queen's Baton arrived in Australia on 8 January, and 1,500 people on Stradbroke Island saw that happen. It's quite obvious that this event in early April will be a massive boost to the 200-kilometre city, and the gem right in the centre of that geography is Redlands city. We encourage people to come and see the incredible geography that is Moreton Bay. Travel to the islands, see the koalas and see Queensland's—if not Australia's—best beach, the fabulous north-facing Cylinder Beach on North Stradbroke Island.

A Griffith University study has shown there could well be 15,000 jobs that spin off from these Commonwealth Games—a $320 million boost to the state economy. This is a situation where local groups are getting together to make sure that we get the best out of this incredible opportunity. If you haven't arranged where you're going to be from 4 April onwards, make sure it's the Gold Coast. Come and see a truly remarkable Commonwealth Games run by an army of volunteers. Of course, the medals that will be handed out were designed by our own Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, from North Stradbroke Island. Congratulations to her.