Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Saturday 3 August I was pleased, along with a large crowd, to attend the Ipswich Jets Leagues Club for the grand final breakfast for the Ipswich Jets netball team, which was playing the Gold Coast Titans at 6 pm the next night in the grand final of the Queensland Sapphire Series, which is the main Queensland state competition below the national super netball competition. The Jets have been in the competition for six years and have made the grand final in three of those six years. The Jets had played the Gold Coast Titans twice during the regular season and beaten them twice, including in First Nations Round, to secure the minor premiership; we had a lot of optimism there. I'm pleased to say that the next night I was there, along with what seemed like half of Ipswich, to cheer on the Jets netball team, and they defeated the Gold Coast Titans 59-50.

I congratulate the whole organisation: CEO Richard Hughes; chair Steve 'Johnno' Johnson; and particularly head coach Paula Stuart and 'Captain Courageous' Steph O'Brien. Steph's outstanding midcourt work and her passing is legendary. She's a HPE teacher at Bremer State High School; they'll be rejoicing there! When I spoke to Paula and Steph after the game they both told me this had been 25 years in the making for Steph. I also congratulate Ipswich Jets player Elsa Sif Sandholt, who has just been selected in the Australian under-21 squad and is one of only two Queenslanders to make the team. With Elsa's great shooting, she scored 37 goals in the grand final and was the most valuable player.

I want to congratulate also TAE Aerospace, particularly facility director Terry Portman, for the wonderful gesture he made at the grand final breakfast. Some beautifully crafted challenge coins were given to each of the players, signifying the comradeship and special, collective achievement of the whole team. The Netball Queensland CEO, Kate Davies, said of the Jets that the professionalism they bring to the competition is outstanding. Speaking at the grand final breakfast, she said that the Jets had raised the bar and that she was not surprised to see them in the grand final again. After losing the grand final by just one point last year, it was so pleasing to see the Jets win. The joy and elation that brought to my whole city of Ipswich was just tremendous. The Jets organisation, with their commitment to rugby league and netball, should be applauded. It's a fantastic organisation, and I want to thank them all. The comradeship between the rugby league players and netball players is there for all to see. I look forward to the dinner we'll have to celebrate the achievements of both the netball and the rugby league players very shortly.

Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.