David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not always easy being Green, but today I pay rise to pay tribute to the Canberra Raiders—the Green Machine—the broader Raiders community, their dedicated fans and our capital region. Like so many Canberrans, I attended the wonderful and hard-fought match against the Rabbitohs. It was our biggest home game in history, and we're all so proud of the team and the way they worked so hard for the win. I had my family in tow on the night and I was lucky enough to watch the game with diehard fan Corina of ACT Boccia fame. Check her out on Facebook; it's well worth your time. My commiserations go to the member for Grayndler.

We were so proud, right across the capital region, in the week leading up to the grand final. How the region got behind the Green Machine. We had green coffee, green sausages from Lindbeck's butchery in Queanbeyan, green beer, and we even had some green donuts from South Point in our electorate office. A thousand fans waved goodbye to the bus with the players on it up to Sydney. Then on Sunday I think about half of Canberra and most of Queanbeyan headed up the Hume on the pilgrimage, hoping for a historic win, all heading to the first grand final for the Raiders since 1994. Those fans not in the stadium like me tuned in to what would be an epic grand final.

Much has been said and written about how that match played out. I don't need to add any commentary here. But I do want to say how proud the people of our region, and of Bean in particular, were of the Canberra Raiders and the way they've conducted themselves. It's critical to be graceful in victory and loss. Special congratulations to Jack on winning the Clive Churchill Medal. We were all shattered, but after finishing our debates on the six again rule, we'll be there again in 2020.

I also rise to acknowledge the extraordinary service to the long-distance running community in the Australian capital region of two constituents of Bean: Jim and Maria White. Jim and Maria have been the bedrock of the running communities for decades, organising groups and clubs, assisting with the organisation of events and being relentless competitors in such events. Jim has competed in dozens of marathons and half marathons across the region, but his real pet event is the Canberra Times Run Fun. Jim is getting ready to compete in his 42nd Canberra Times Run Fun, an event that's only 44 years old. Maria is a relative slacker in only turning up for her 36th fun run. My one fun run is rather pathetic in comparison. They've been an inspiration and support for hundreds of runners and walkers across our region and may they long continue.