Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm a gracious person, Senator Ciccone, just like you. I can't help it. I can't change who I am. It's good to end the week with a good news story, especially after the last few weeks we've had in terms of what's going on in the world. In terms of my adjournment contribution tonight, I rise to pay tribute to tribute to a wonderful sporting club in South-East Queensland, in my home state, the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club. It has been an absolute privilege on my part to get to know the members of the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club. I'm just so impressed at the culture and the spirit within the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club. Madam Acting Deputy President O'Neill, Senator Ayres, Senator Ciccone and Senator Smith, all of us have the privilege as senators to get to know organisations, sporting organisations and community groups that do such a wonderful job and are so selfless in terms of their contribution to our community, and the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club fall four-square within that definition.

In this adjournment contribution, I wish to refer to three recent events that exemplify the wonderful community spirit of the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club in my home state of Queensland. The first was on 12 August earlier this year. A fundraiser was held for Mr Timothy Burke. The Slacks Creek Rugby League Club has described Timothy as—and I quote—'one of our own local community legends'. Timothy was the Zone 4 coordinator for the Brisbane Rugby League Referees Association. He was passionate about mentoring young referees. That is just so important in this day and age. To have sporting competitions, we need referees. To have a pipeline of refugees, we need young referees. So it is important to give young people as much support as possible to become referees. That's what Timothy did, as well as refereeing himself.

Timothy recently received a devastating diagnosis of motor neurone disease. In response to that, the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club wrapped their arms around him and his family and put on this fundraiser on 12 August 2023, which I had the privilege of attending—and it was a privilege. Where would you put the politicians when they attend search an event? With the referees at the referee table so that we could share stories of how we receive criticism for doing our work. I want to pay tribute to each of those referees who were there that night who attended in solidarity for Timothy and his family, including his beautiful wife, Tracey, and also other clubs represented there, including the Springwood Suns Cricket Club, netball clubs and football clubs. The whole community rallied to attend that fundraising event for Timothy Burke because of the esteem in which Timothy is held by that community.

The second event which occurred recently in terms of the club was that the under-16s made the grand final. I want to quote what Mr Shayne Western, who is in the leadership team at the Slacks Creek Rugby League Club, wrote about them making the grand final:

These young teenagers made the club proud with the way they conducted themselves all year, and just to make the grand final was a wonderful achievement.

Congratulations to the under-16s. They went down 24-12, but they went down fighting. They are a wonderful group of young Australians.

Lastly, I note that Harrison Western and Thomas Burke, two young junior international referees from Slacks Creek Rugby League Club, were chosen to go to Sydney and enjoy an NRL referee engagement day. Not only that; Harrison Western had the well-earned privilege of being chosen by the NRL to hand out the Adam Gees Medal, the NRL referee medal, at the end of the game. Congratulations, Harrison! Congratulations, Slacks Creek Rugby League Club! You're a wonderful institution and you do great work for the community.