House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Country Sports Carnivals COUNTRY SPORTS CARNIVALS The Hon. L.R. BREUER House of Assembly Giles COUNTRY SPORTS CARNIVALS The Hon. L.R. BREUER (Giles) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Recreation and Sport about a subject which, by looking at me, you can tell I am very passionate about. Can the minister inform the house about the country sport carnivals that took place over the Queen's birthday long weekend? The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL House of Assembly Mawson Minister for Tourism Minister for Recreation and Sport COUNTRY SPORTS CARNIVALS The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (15:02): I thank the member for Giles for her question and her support for people in her area in the sporting clubs and Whyalla, who do such a great job in harnessing the talents of local people and getting them out about, being fit and healthy. The June long weekend is very important on the country calendar for a number of sports, for their sports carnivals. I was very pleased to go to netball headquarters at Mile End over the long weekend to open the Country Championships. There were teams from right across the state—almost 1,000 netballers from all the different country areas. It is a terrific competition that has been going 71 years now. When I worked at the ABC as a journalist we always made sure that we went out to cover it to send those images back to all the people throughout South Australia from their home towns. The best part was between 1994 and 1996, when the Mid South-East won the championship three years in a row. The member for MacKillop would concur that the women from Mount Burr and Glencoe combined beautifully for some great titles. Unfortunately, it has been a bit of a drought lately for the Mid South-East, and they did not feature among the winners this year. However, I would like to inform the house of those teams who did win. In the A grade Barossa, Light and Gawler defeated River Murray. Whyalla, you would be pleased to know member for Giles, won the B grade grand final up against Barossa, Light and Gawler. Great Southern beat Western Border in the under 17s grand final, division I; and Port Augusta beat Port Pirie in division 2 of the under 17s. In the 15s and under, Port Pirie, the member for Frome would be pleased to hear, defeated Western Border 27 to 25; so bad luck there for the member for Mount Gambier and the member for MacKillop. In the division 2 under-15 grand final Great Flinders 24 defeated Southern Hills 23. In division 2 it was Mid West 15 over Mid Hills. In the under-13s Riverland won (and the member for Chaffey would be pleased with that) by beating Mid Hills, and Hills beat Northern Areas in division 2 of the under-13s. In division 3 of the under-15s River Murray were big winners over Whyalla 27 goals to 14. The A-grade top 10 players for the championships: Fiona Bussenchutt from the Yorke Peninsula; Penny Chappell from Barossa, Light and Gawler; Keston Green, Mid South East; Katie Liebelt from Northern Eastern; Tamara Lodge, Yorke Peninsula; Amy Loechel from River Murray; Tracy Loechel, from River Murray; Keeley Mason, Mid South East; Olivia Scholz, River Murray; and Jess Wilson, Barossa, Light and Gawler. While I am on the subject of netball, I think we should all congratulate the Adelaide Thunderbirds for taking out the title of minor premiers in the trans-Tasman cup for the first time. We wish them all the best for this weekend in the final minor round match and, of course, for the finals, as well. Go the T'birds.