Women's World Cup

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (15:20): I rise this afternoon to share my excitement that the Women's World Cup is only a few weeks away, and it is the first time it is going to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. Those of us who are mad football fans will be thrilled that not only can we go to our local stadium to support the teams but also we do not have to get up at 2am, 4am, nonstop for four weeks.

I was so lucky four years ago to travel to France to follow the Matildas in the Women's World Cup as well as also taking the opportunity to watch some legs of the Tour de France. Attending the World Cup gives you an incredible opportunity to see parts of a country you would not normally go to see. We visited Montpellier and we visited Grenoble, towns that were not on our radar but now we know how beautiful they are.

When you go to support a sporting event such as football, the game only lasts 90 minutes, but of course you are there for a few days. We got to go hiking, we got to support their local restaurants, we got to go to music concerts and we got to go to art galleries. For us in Australia and our neighbours in New Zealand, to have this massive international event come to our shores is an incredible opportunity for all of us.

I was then lucky to attend the semifinals and the final in Lyon. Not surprisingly, the US made the grand final. It was a brilliant game to be at. In the days leading up to the final, we were spending our time wandering around Lyon. Suddenly, waves and waves of Americans arrived in France, having come over once they discovered their team was in the grand final. The beauty of women's football is that the majority of supporters are women and their families. I must say that compared to many other sporting events it is a very welcoming and lovely atmosphere to be amongst. You certainly feel safe as a football supporter being in those enormous crowds.

One thing I will always remember from the grand final is when the President of FIFA came out to present the cup. He came out onto the stage, and spontaneously the crowd starting chanting, 'Equal pay!' It was a moment I will not forget and, of course, participated in. Unfortunately, at that World Cup, the Matildas were not as successful as we had hoped, but this time, being on home soil with their families and their friends, their ex-teammates and all of us there to support, we do hope that it will be a successful tournament.

Over the last four years, so many of our players for the Matildas have had the opportunity to play in higher leagues. Now they are playing in Europe and the UK. I must mention Sam Kerr, our captain of the Matildas. She is Australia's most successful international goalscorer ever. She has been playing with Chelsea for the last number of seasons. Just over the last few months, they have won the league title and the FA Cup, an incredible success for Chelsea. Of course, Sam Kerr has been integral in their success. All of those experiences are going to be brought to Australia for this World Cup.

I am particularly excited to be following South Australian Charli Grant in this competition. She played at Cumberland United and then at Adelaide United and now for the Matildas. She recently scored as a defender her first ever goal for the Matildas in the recent friendly against England. It just so happened I was out doorknocking a few days after. Obviously, I had watched that game and seen her score. I was out doorknocking, and this elderly gentleman answered the door: 'Are you here for my autograph?' I said, 'No.' Next, it turns out that he is Charli Grant's grandfather and he is the proudest man in Adelaide. We had a lovely chat talking about her wonderful success, and I am really excited to be seeing her play.

Of course, my teammates at Westminster Old Scholars' Soccer Club are also keen to get along to Hindmarsh to support all of the countries that will be playing there and to see football played at its highest level in the world. I wish the Matildas all the best. I think we are going to have an incredible competition and I reckon we are going to come away with gold. I am really looking forward to it.