Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Newtown Rugby League Football Club are celebrating their 110th year as a local community based organisation this year. One would have thought that after being thrown out of the NRL they might have just disappeared. Instead, they have thrived as a community based organisation. There is nothing so good as old-fashioned footy on the hill at Henson Park on a Saturday afternoon. Two weeks ago, I was there at Henson Park for the Beer, Footy and Food Festival, where, once again, 8,972 fans gathered at Henson Park to celebrate the local community with local beer, local food and a sense of celebration.

One of the great things about this country is that, on the hill at Henson Park and at other local community based sporting activities on weekends, we are all equal. We're all equal in celebrating that sense of community that comes from sport and that sense of identity and bringing together of the community that comes from a local football club like Newtown. I pay tribute to the chair, Barry Cotter; all of the board and players of Newton for keeping that spirit alive. They're largely volunteers, and those volunteers keep that community based club going week after week.