Tour Down Under

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (18:19): I take the opportunity at this time to make some remarks in recognition of Australia's premier cycling events that have just taken place, and very substantially, I am proud to say, in those parts of the Adelaide Hills that are within Heysen. I do so in some ways in unusually subdued circumstances because the men's and women's races conducted between 16 and 26 January were taking place in the midst of the fire emergencies about which much has been said already today and much more will be said in the course of the Address in Reply and on the Premier's motion moved earlier today.

By way of context, the men's tour finished in quite spectacular circumstances on the afternoon of Australia Day. For me, it is a day that, in my time as member for Heysen, has already established some traditions that are very much centred on celebrations of community, and all the more so on this Australia Day. It is a day that commences for me at a breakfast that is hosted at Mylor on the Mylor Oval and a breakfast that is provided free for the community and is a wonderful gathering. It is an occasion at which I have an opportunity to say a few words on the back of a truck at the edge of the oval, surrounded by members of the community. On this occasion, that was very much reflecting on themes related to our response to the bushfire emergencies, particularly qualities of hope and resilience.

As is the case annually, it was followed by an event later in the morning hosted by the Adelaide Hills Council at Stirling that includes a citizenship ceremony. It gave us all an opportunity to pause and reflect upon what wonderfully privileged opportunities we have as Australians and, I might say, particularly in my local community in the Adelaide Hills.

Against that background, and with a particular reflection this year on those qualities that have been displayed in the face of the fires, it was truly a joy to see the end of what has become really a premier event in this country. To see the Tasmanian cyclist Richie Porte triumph in the tour overall, there was some pathos I suppose in the fact that he did not actually win the stage to be first up and over Willunga Hill this year. In that race, he was beaten by young Matthew Holmes, the English rider, who I think almost could not believe his form in getting to the stage win, but Richie Porte made time up and was the overall winner.

It was a tremendous vote of confidence in the Hills. It was a sign that in the course of disaster we continue on, including with these major events. In amongst the tens of thousands of people I observed attending at stages through the week leading up to the 26^th and the final stage on top of Old Willunga Hill, I saw a distinct tone of hope and resilience through those large crowds supporting the races. My congratulations to the women's tour winner, Ruth Winder, and to Richie Porte, about whom I have spoken. I hope the race comes back stronger than ever next year for both the women and men, leading the year's cycling events and also helping us as we recover from these fires.