Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here's a bit of a fun fact: there are around 11,000 beaches in Australia, which means that someone could go to a new beach every day for the next 30 years and not go to the same beach twice. Isn't that fascinating? But there was a massive oversight this summer, because Wagga Wagga's beach on the Murrumbidgee River was excluded from the top 20 beaches in Australia!

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can hear the roars of discontent about this absolute outrage! Two years ago it was included as No. 9, would you believe, Mr Deputy Speaker? It was the ninth-best beach in all of Australia. It was the first inland river beach to be included in that exclusive list. But, unbelievably and inexplicably, it has been excluded from this year's a list. And what is No. 1? With all due respect to the member for O'Connor, it's Misery Beach.

I believe that Wagga Wagga's beach should be in the top 20, if not No. 1. This goes to the judges' assessment of the beaches as to why Wagga Wagga's beach isn't in that list. But hope is at hand: with the $9.2 million that Wagga Wagga City Council has as part of their Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program investment, they're upgrading the river precinct. With the new playground, the new shade sails and everything else they're investing in, Wagga Wagga's beach will be back in the top 20, if not No. 1, very soon.