Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to congratulate the Australian hockey team on their recent incredible success at the World Cup held in the Netherlands earlier this month. The hockey World Cup final consisted of both of the Australian teams, the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos. Unfortunately the Hockeyroos went down 2-0 in the final against the Dutch. The Kookaburras got up 6-1, which was a huge victory, and they retained the World Cup, winning back-to-back victories. It was a huge effort also for the Hockeyroos, given that they went into the World Cup ranked No. 5 in the world.

Many people when they think of success in sport in the Northern Territory look to AFL football. That is true. However, the great number of champions who have come out of the Northern Territory are around hockey. Hockey in the Northern Territory has a very long and distinguished history—

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about Aussie rules?

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it is hockey; I will get to that. From Alice Springs to Nhulunbuy, Katherine and Darwin, the game of hockey has been enjoyed—rightly so—by the community throughout the Northern Territory. It has been great for individual achievement far beyond any expectations held by the hockey community in the Northern Territory. As a sport for girls, boys, men and women, hockey is a great family sport. I know that for a fact given that I started playing hockey when I was four years old and both my parents and all of my family played. I remember going to the old Alawa hockey fields on Lakeside Drive and waking up on those cold dry season mornings.

The friendships that I made through the sport have been have been long and lasting, and I still catch up with my hockey team mates from my junior playing years and we quite often reminisce about the great times we had playing this fantastic sport. I was once told by one of my Australian coaches, 'You won't make a lot of money playing sport; however, you will make lifelong friendships.' That was very true.

Going back to Senator Farrell's point, I want to talk about the achievements of Territorians. I was the first Territorian to go to the Olympics in 1996—the Atlanta Olympics. Stephen Halt followed. He got a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mark Hickman won gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Des Abbott won bronze in 2008 in Beijing. His cousin Joel Carroll won bronze in 2012 in London.

I mentioned earlier the recent successes of the Kookaburras. The Northern Territory was represented by 21-year-old Jeremy Hayward. Jeremy was also named as the young player of the tournament. I congratulate Jeremy on a fantastic achievement. He was also voted the best young player at the World Cup, which is a huge achievement.

I congratulate my fellow Hockeyroos, Adam Commens and his staff. The recent performances of the Hockeyroos demonstrate the commitment to hockey at a world-class level.

I want to conclude by passing on my personal congratulations to an old friend and mentor of mine, Australian sporting icon and former coach, Dr Ric Charlesworth. He was also a federal MP for the Labor Party from 1983 to 1993. Charlesworth once said that he retired from politics because he never became a minister. But they often say that when one door closes another opens. Thank God that door closed and the one that opened was that he became my coach at the Hockeyroos. Dr Charlesworth played in 47 first-class cricket matches for Western Australia, scoring 2,327 runs. He was a member of four Sheffield Shield winning teams. He represented Australia at five Olympic Games, winning silver at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He won a hockey World Cup Gold medal in 1986. He retired from hockey after the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He played 227 games for Australia. He is a bit of an overachiever and five of those years he played sport for Australia were while he was an MP!

I personally want to thank Ric Charlesworth for his service, love, dedication and commitment to Australian hockey and for his philosophy of the game. I am sure I speak for all Australians who have been coached, mentored and inspired by him. I thank you, Ric Charlesworth, for the three mantras you taught me about life that I still carry with me every day. They are: 'Poco a poco,'—which is Spanish for 'little by little you can achieve big things'—'Expect the unexpected' and 'Take nothing for granted.' Those are wise words from a legendary Australian. I wish you well, Dr Ric Charlesworth, wherever your journey in life leads you.