Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the weekend, Canberra lost a beautiful young girl in a tragic boating accident at Moruya on the New South Wales South Coast. Georgia Vizovitis was just 13 years old. She was a year 8 student at Mount Stromlo High School. Georgia has been described as a gorgeous girl with a love for the coast. Her passions included reading, the great outdoors, good food, the beach and fishing, which makes this boat accident on the weekend even more tragic.

Georgia was on a fishing trip with family and friends when the boat she was in was overturned in rough seas. They were trying to navigate the bar near the Moruya breakwall. It's a breakwall that many Canberrans would be familiar with because the New South Wales South Coast is essentially Canberra by the sea. It's where Canberrans holiday, particularly over the Christmas holidays as well as over the Easter break.

This is a tragedy that will challenge the Moruya community and the New South Wales South Coast community. It's a tragedy that will challenge the strong and close community of Waramanga and Mount Stromlo High School. I know that Principal Kate Marshall and the Mount Stromlo High School community are supporting their students and staff through this difficult time.

My deepest condolences go to Georgia's family, her friends, and all those who knew Georgia in her all-too-short life. My thoughts are also with the other passengers of the boat who experienced injuries. The community of Canberra sends condolences to everyone involved.