Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate my Wantoks at the QPNG GOLD Netball Club for the 10th anniversary of the establishment of that club. Senators here may be aware of the fact I lived and worked in Papua New Guinea between 1999 and 2001 and have a deep abiding affection for the people of Papua New Guinea and the diaspora in my home state of Queensland. So I was very happy to be able to go along to the celebration of this wonderful netball club, the QPNG GOLD Netball Club, as it celebrated its 10th anniversary.

This netball club was established so that it could participate in what's referred to as the Challenge of the Nations Netball Tournament, where Pasifika countries, like Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa and Fiji, are represented in a netball tournament over the course of two weeks. All the countries of the Pacific have teams there based on diasporas in my home state of Queensland, and it's a wonderful event, which is coming up to its 10th anniversary. I look forward to making a contribution in this place following the 10th tournament of the Challenge of the Nations Netball Tournament. I'd like to pay my deep abiding respects to the current president of the QPNG GOLD Netball Club, President Helen Edwards, all of the current and previous committee members of the club, the coaches, the volunteers and the players.

I'd also like to pay my deep respect to Mr Peter Aitsi, who is the president of Transparency International PNG and was a guest speaker at the 10th anniversary function. Transparency International, as I know you're aware, Acting Deputy President O'Neill, is a very important non-government organisation which is at the forefront of fighting corruption all over the world. Peter does a wonderful job leading that organisation in Papua New Guinea and is an outstanding leader in Papua New Guinea and quite inspirational for the players who were in attendance at that function. In that regard, I should note that, as current chair of Transparency International PMG, he follows in the footsteps of a great Papua New Guinean who I knew when I was living and working in Papua New Guinea, Sir Anthony Siaguru. He was a public servant, a lawyer and the founding chair of Transparency International in Papua New Guinea and a wonderful Papua New Guinean.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation by an emerging PNG Pepes athlete—Pepes is the name of the PNG netball team—Yves Chee. She gave a wonderful presentation. She's actually gone on to represent Papua New Guinea after joining the QPNG GOLD Netball Club and discovering and celebrating her Papua New Guinean heritage. She gave a wonderful presentation at the function. To all my Wantoks at the QPNG GOLD Netball Club: congratulations on your 10th anniversary. I look forward to seeing you in action at the Challenge of the Nations Netball Tournament.

Before we have that, we have Independence Day for Papua New Guinea, which is 16 September every year, recognising the independence of PNG which came into effect in 1975. I'm sure I'll see many of my Wantoks at Bill Norris Oval in Beenleigh as we all get together to celebrate the Independence Day of PNG, a country which is close to us not just geographically but in our hearts and in our spirits.