MacKillop Electorate

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (15:40): I am pleased to rise to speak today, as we move into the winter sports final season, to congratulate all teams on the winter season they have had.

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

Mr McBRIDE: Of course. Football and netball are two sports that together in my electorate, and of course in much my regional South Australia, play a very important role in bringing people together.

The sports and the club atmosphere around them provide an excellent opportunity for people to look after their physical and mental wellbeing. These clubs are without doubt part of the identities of our regional townships. In the MacKillop electorate, much-enjoyed competition and participation are provided through netball and football clubs involved in the in the leagues, including Mid South Eastern Football League and the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League. Teams from the electorate that also participate are the Mallee Football League and the River Murray Football League.

Going to the football and netball each week during the winter is a family event for many. Heading out for junior football and netball on a Saturday morning is a highlight for many young boys and girls and their families, and they will often stay for the whole day. Training during the week is a great way for everyone to build exercise into their weekly routine, catch up with team mates and work towards a common goal—be it winning the grand final, making gains in team performance or supporting each other to meet their own fitness goals.

I also enjoy the opportunity when I can to umpire games across these leagues. Doing this is an important and enjoyable part of my week and, perhaps contrary to what could be imagined, also supports my mental wellbeing. I absolutely do enjoy getting around my region and umpiring. It is a great way of us supporting the leagues, getting out and meeting all my constituents, participating in a wonderful game that I have always enjoyed and absolutely doing my best. I find it the most rewarding two or three hours of my week, and I will continue to do it, looking after all these leagues and games and umpiring in a way that is fair and for everyone to enjoy.

I would like to congratulate Kalangadoo, in the Mid South Eastern Football League, Mundulla in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League, Pinnaroo in the Mallee League and Tailem Bend in the River Murray League, for finishing minor A-grade premiers. I also congratulate all the other finalists in all grades of football and netball.

Clubs do not exist without their sponsors and volunteers, whether their teams bring home the ultimate success—the grand final trophy at the end of the year—or if they finish with the wooden spoon. Not one of the clubs could function without the dedicated volunteers who turn up to club meetings, organise their canteens, bars and dinners, fundraise, coach their players, create rosters, take money and, in recent seasons, QR coding at the gate.

No league or club has been spared from the challenge of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. It is the club volunteers who are the people who have also navigated the COVID activity rules that shift from time to time, making plans and implementing them to ensure weekly football matches are able to proceed. It is an effort that should not be underplayed. I know that as we move into finals a great deal of work has already happened and continues to go into ensuring that COVID-safe events can be run.

In our border communities, we have faced many challenges associated with border restrictions. Our football and netball have not been immune to these challenges. In the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League, the Border Districts Football Club and netball club have had to forgo games due to their border restrictions. This will continue to be an issue for the clubs' successful netball sides as they move into the finals series. While in the Mallee league, Murrayville has also suffered from border restrictions and has unfortunately been unable to participate further in finals due to the lockdown restrictions in Victoria.

It is my sincere hope that our clubs involved in finals are able to field their teams and navigate the restrictions at this time. I look forward to the prospect of a different landscape for winter sport next year as I hope we will see a marked change in the way we manage COVID with a high take-up of vaccinations.

I wish all clubs hosting finals well with their preparations, particularly the Mid South Eastern Football League grand final, held at Tantanoola; the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League grand final, held at Padthaway; the Mallee Football League grand final, held at Pinnaroo; and the River Murray Football League grand final, held at Mypolonga.

As we move into the finals weeks, I would like to extend my appreciation of what it takes to run a club and wish participants and clubs in the finals all the very best. I also really do hope that the COVID restrictions allow our finals to be the maximum game event that they are and the highlight for the year. I hope that the crowds that do wish to turn up can participate and I hope that those who are providing and hosting the finals can maximise their returns in what has been a tough year but a better year than last year. Hopefully, going forward, our teams come through this stronger and with participation being even bigger and ready for next year to start a better year than it was this year.